The Calm Before the Storm
by BlueEyedWolf33
Summary: Third Edition to It Came Rolling in on a Warm Night's Breeze. "I don't love you anymore..." He whispered but she saw the lie in his eyes. "But I still love you!" She replied back desperately. His heart ached. "You can't leave me here!" "Quwen, I don't love you!" His horse took a few steps forward but her voice stopped him. "I would have followed you anywhere, my king..." Aragorn/OC
1. Chapter 1

Quwen's lip turned up in disgust as she kicked one of the dead orcs out of her way. All day long, she had sort of been milling about. She had nothing really to do and Aragorn had told her to rest.

That did not last long at all.

The lady ranger had easily escaped from Éowyn who was supposed to be watching her. However, Breeze slipped away the first moment the woman became distracted by another frantic woman.

A smile came onto her face at how dimwitted the lady seemed. But dimwitted was a terrible word. More like, unobservant.

Quwen picked her way along, taking her time. She didn't have any sort of entertainment, considering all the men were working outside. She considered working in the healing ward for a bit but dismissed that thought when Éowyn had tried to push her around. It didn't sit well with her.

Boromir had been one of the few men to remain inside the walls. He had turned very pale after the battle and he was ordered to rest as well as to not injure himself once again. He had of course been doing exactly what she was doing but had abandoned the task long ago. Instead, he decided to take an afternoon nap in a quite corner and rest up.

Sighing, Quwen made her way to the outer wall. A frown adorned her lips when she saw the large hole in the wall from the explosion. She wondered how they had done that, blow a hole in the wall. What magic was Saruman able to conjure to do such a task?

After thinking about it further, she came to the conclusion that she may never know and decided to continue her journey along the outer most wall of Helm's Deep.

Looking over the side of the thick brick wall, she saw all of what remained of the Rohirric soldiers working.

She easily found her companions among them. Gimli and Legolas were helping to carry bodies into the huge pile that was only starting to form. Aragorn was helping but at the same time, giving others orders.

He would sometimes stand off by himself and look off into the distance. This would usually happen when he would find a mangled Rohirric soldier's body and she could see the sadness in his eyes. Another life that had been lost. Another son, brother, husband, father, lost.

On lighter notes thought, Aragorn could often be found with Éomer and she would catch them laughing together. The blonde rider seemed to be one of the few people that could bring a smile to his face and it made her heart ache to not be able to comfort him. Instead, she had to remain inside under his own orders.

Quwen had only exchanged a few words with the Third Marshal and she wished to be in his presence once more so that they could converse and exchange stories. There would never be anytime for that anymore, considering the ten thousand dead orcs that lay lifeless on Helm's Deep's grounds.

It was only a day after the battle and they had taken a few hours to rest. For everyone was visibly exhausted from the recent battle and deserved to have a peaceful sleep. Now they were at it again.

Gandalf also announced that he would be taking a select few riders to investigate Isengard. The white wizard was curious as to what had happened with his old friend and he could no longer hide behind his orc army.

And so, they rode out. Nine of them left Helm's Deep. Eleven would return to Edoras.

* * *

Sitting upon the back of her steed, Quwen stared at the back of Aragorn's head. She had done a lot of thinking this morning. And that was normally not a good thing. To be left alone with one's thoughts, that is.

She knew that they were growing too close. Closer than just companions or friends. Friends did not kiss one another.

Her heart wanted to follow Aragorn, to follow him until her dying day. She wanted to be with him forever but her mind thought otherwise. It kept warning her of his lineage and her own lineage.

There was only a small possibility that they could be together. So, in her mind she only called this a hopeless romance. Only something one read about in Elvish fairy tales and books.

But she wanted to refuse those thoughts.

She wanted to be with him yet she couldn't. It would only result in blackening his name and she did not want that. And, if he was to be king, she did not want to take on that role. She could not sit in dresses all day. She could not be confined to the walls of Minis Tirith all day, even if Boromir claimed that it was so beautiful.

Sighing, she mopped a hand over her face and shifted in the saddle. They had left for Isengard early in the morning and the sun was barely reaching its highest peak in the sky.

She looked up at the sun now. The dark clouds that had accompanied Saruman's forces had diminished with the filth and the bright orb was beaming down on them, turning her darker hair golden in its rays.

"Something troubling you?" Quwen was pulled from her thoughts and looked over to the rider next to her. His hazel eyes twinkled with mirth and his lips pulled up slightly in the corners. He looked at her intently, waiting for her to answer.

"Yes. But I do not intend to share it with you..." She growled and Éomer chuckled deeply. She faced forward once more, fuming.

"I see you're in a foul mood! What has you so temperamental?" He asked, once more waiting patiently for her answer. "Aragorn?" He asked and her eyes narrowed. She reeled on him and for a moment, the Third Marshal was a bit nervous.

She had been known to hit people at times. Aragorn had told him of her welcome to him when he arrived to Helm's Deep. It had not turned out well.

His breathing nearly stopped when she placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Actually, no. I was thinking about other things..."

"Like what?"

"My family..."

"You said you didn't have a family!"

"Well, I lied... I have a brother and a sister..."

"And their names?"

"Roanen and Ariyana..."'

"Ah! Fine names! Where are they now?" She became solemn and the rider's smile dropped from his lips.

"I know not of their location..." She replied sadly, guilt entering her gut and making her toes curl.

"Do not fret, Quwen. You will find your family. You may just have to search harder..."

"Search harder? Search _harder_?! I've searched most of my life for them and I have yet to find them!" She cried out, frustration getting the best of her.

"Maybe after the war is over..."

"I highly doubt that my brother and sister are still alive..."

"Do not give up hope!" Eomer tried to reassure her but she only shook her head. She really just wanted to reach Isengard right at this moment so that he would stop persisting.

The sloshing of water drew her attention away from the conversation. Looking down at Del's hooves, they were submerged in water and the level was quickly rising. _That's odd..._ she thought to herself. _Water in the middle of the forest?_

* * *

Breaking through the tree line, the large dark tower jutted up into the sky. It looked rather menacing but it lost some of its dark characteristics from being completely surrounded in water.

"Haha!" Her head snapped up in surprise. In the distance, sitting atop a jagged piece of stone, were the two hobbits that they had been searching for since forever.

Her temper flared slightly. Here they found them relaxing back and eating! Like a couple of fools that just got done with a hard days work!

"Welcome, my lords... and lady, to Isegnard!" Merry cheered, holding up his mug and almost falling over in the process. They were drunk. Lovely.

"You young rascals! A merry hunt you've led us on and now we find you feasting and… And smoking!" Gimli growled, also noticing how relaxed they were after a battle.

"We are sitting on a field of victory enjoying a few well earned comforts!The salted pork is particularly good!" Pippin waved a sandwich in the air, causing everyone's stomach to growl around them.

"S-Salted pork?" Gimli asked for conformation and Pippin nodded in delight.

"Hobbits..." Quwen complained and Aragorn snickered beside her.

"We're under orders from Treebeard who's taken over management of Isengard!" Merry exlaimed and Gandalf merely shook her head.

"Come on, hobbits. Get down now and come see me!" Boromir called from his horse. The two of them seemed to noticed him for the first time and wide smiles covered their faces.

"Boromir!" They chimed at the same time before hurrying to climb down from the stone. Sloshing through the water, they reached his horse and he helped them to climb up so they could properly embrace them. The autumn haired man chuckled as he let the two of them embrace him.

"Come along now, Pippin! We need to get moving!" Quwen rode up beside her friend. The hobbit only stared at her for a moment before transferring horses.

"Lady Breeze! I missed you so!" He wrapped his arms around her middle, embracing her tightly as well. She only smiled down at the hobbit before urging her horse forward with the others so that they could continue on into Isengard.

As they proceeded forward, Del matched pace with Brego and Aragorn noticed the familiar print of the horse riding next to him.

Looking up, his stoney blue eyes met her own hazel pair. Inside them, he saw that she was just content to ride next to him. They hadn't shared much time together since before the battle and even then, they hadn't reunited on the best terms.

He had gotten hit with a book and multiple pillows.

And so, he smiled slightly at her and her hazel eyes sparkled once she realized he was in a good mood. She smiled back before looking forward once more. It was nice to see her cheerful after the battle that had taken place only hours ago.

"Hoooom, young master Gandalf, I'm glad you've come... Wood and water, stock and stone I can master, but there is a Wizard to manage here locked in his tower..." Del reared up on his hind legs and Pippin cried out in distress.

Quwen was able to remain on his back by holding tightly to his reigns.

"Is that a t-talking tree?" Her voice rose a few octaves in disbelief. Del lowered himself back onto four hooves and Pippin gripped to her tightly. Once Del settled down, everyone was silent once more. She was once more by Aragorn's side.

"Show yourself..." He whispered quietly, his eyes scanning the tower for any signs of life.

"Be careful. Even in defeat, Saruman is dangerous!" Gandalf advised the heir of Isildur.

"Well then let's just have his head and be done with it!" Gimli raised his axe, wanting to spill Saruman's blood for what he had done.

"No, we need him alive. We need him to talk." Gandalf said.

"You have fought many wars and slain many men Théoden King and made peace afterwards. Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace you and I?" Saruman cooed to the King who merely looked angry.

"We shall have peace... We shall have peace when you answer for the burning of the Westfold and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows... We shall have peace!" Quwen smirked at Théoden's answer.

"Gibbets and crows! Dotard! What do you want Gandalf Grahame? Let me guess... The key of Orthanc? Or perhaps the keys of Barad Dûr itself? Along with the crowns of the seven Kings and the rods of the Five Wizards...?"

"Your treachery has already cost many lives. Thousands more are now at risk. But you could save them Saruman. You were deep in the enemy's counsel!" Gandalf tried to plead with Saruman.

"So you have come here for information. I have some for you. Something festers in the heart of Middle Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the great eye has seen it! Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon..." Saurman said, holding up a solid ball that appeared to be made of pure onyx. Gandalf rode forward a few feet, his face hard.

"You are all going to die! But you know this don't you Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept from the shadows will never be crowned King!" Saruman hissed and Quwen looked over at her fellow Ranger. He looked away from the wizard who shamed him from above. Reaching outward, Breeze touched his hand lightly before riding forward in anger.

"Such strong words for a wizard who is trapped up in his tower!" She drew her father's blade and held it tightly in her hand. Her hazel eyes burned in challenge and she twirled it around once in anticipation.

"It would be best for you to hold your tongue, whore. Don't act so surprised. Lady of the North, I don't believe so... Whore of the North sounds correct. You will only be a harlot who longs after the exiled King... It was a shame, your brother and sister might have actually done something to benefit the war!" She had looked down during the middle of his rant. His words stung deeply but it wasn't true.

She was not a whore. She was not a common street harlot. Quwen would never resort to that.

When he mentioned her family, her hazel eyes snapped up to him, tears on the rims of her eyes. He talked of her family. If she knew that they could have made a difference in the war, she would have gladly taken their place and died for them.

But, did this confirm her fears? Were her siblings truly gone? They could not be.

Brego trotted up beside Del and Aragorn placed a hand on Breeze's shoulder. She turned Del around so she wouldn't have to look at Saruman only longer. Her shoulders shook slightly as the tears fell down her face.

"Oh, Breeze..." Aragorn reached across the gap between the two horses and embraced her but he was surprised when she pushed him away. Pulling her sword out once more she turned her horse around, her hazel eyes blazing once more.

The tears left dirty smudges down her face for, she had not bathed in a few days.

"You know not of what you speak, old man! I am no whore! And my family is very much alive!" Aragorn was surprised at the tone she used. It just seemed to flow from her like liquid fire and if anyone got to close, they would become terribly burned.

"Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those who are closest to him... Those he professes to love! Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death!" Saruman said and Gimli prodded Legolas in the back.

"I've heard enough! Shoot him! Stick an arrow in his gob!" The dwarf demanded and the blonde female to his left nodded. "I agree, kill him..." She prodded the elf without even looking at him.

To her pleasure, the elf reached into his quiver and drew out an arrow but was stopped by Gandalf.

"No! Come down Saruman and your life shall be spared!" Gandalf called up to his old friend. Quwen watched in horror as Saruman turned down Gandalf's offer and shot a fireball at him. However, Gandalf was unaffected and instead, Saruman's staff broke.

Behind Saruman, another man suddenly approached and joined the wizard on the roof.

"Grima! You need not follow him! You were not always as you are now. You were once a man of Rohan. Come down!" Théoden called up to the sickly looking man. Without warning, Grima stabbed the wizard in the back but before he could climb down, Legolas had impaled an arrow in his chest.

Everyone watched as the wizard tumbled downward until he was impaled on the great wheel below the tower. Quwen didn't turn her head away in disgust, instead she was rather glad that the fowl mouthed wizard was dead. Serves him right.

"Send word to all our allies and to every corner of Middle Earth that still stands free! The enemy moves against us. We need to know where he will strike!" Gandalf declared. However, the wheel began to creak and Saurman's body slipped under water. The shinning black orb from before slipped from his cream robes into the water.

Quwen's companion seemed to have seen the object and he dismounted. He dropped down into the water and began making his way over to it.

"Pippin!" She called after him but watched with curiousity. He picked up the onyx stone and turned it over a few times in his hands. It was completely smooth and inside something stirred in it like it was a living thing.

"Peregrin Took! I'll take that my lad! Quickly now!" Gandalf held out his hand and he snatched the orb away from Pippin and tucked it deep into his stark white robes.

"Come along now, Pippin..." Quwen rode up beside him and he looked lost for a moment. "Pippin?" She nudged him with her stirrup and he came out of his daze. Offering him a hand down, he grasped her forearm around her vambrace before she brought him up behind her.

The group began to make their way back to the forest but out of the corner of her eye, Quwen watched as Aragorn approached her. Brego matched her horse's pace and they rode together in silence for a moment.

Aragorn could tell that something was deeply troubling the fair maiden. Her eyes were focused on the fine hairs of her horse's mane and her shoulders dropped in defeat.

"_Quwen, what troubles you_?" He asked her quietly and in elvish so the others wouldn't understand what they were conversing about. Her hazel eyes rose for a minute before focusing on the ever approaching forest.

"_Nothing, my friend_..." She tried but he only persisted.

"_Saruman's words are not true_..."

"_Yet their bite still stings_!" She hissed back, diverting her eyes away from him. Pippin was thoroughly confused behind her but persisted on listening to the wonderful elvish words, even if they were grim.

"_I only fear that his words may be true_..." She replied back much more weakly this time. Reaching over, Aragorn placed his hand around her, making her hazel pools meet the blue stones that were his eyes.

"_We will find your family_..." His thumb gently stroked the back of her hand, causing her to relax some.

"_One can only hope, Aragorn_..." She replied before turning her hazel eyes away from him once more. She wished to be in solitude for the time being and the Ranger would grant her that one small wish for the time being.

* * *

**I'm back people! I feel like I haven't even thought about this story in forever!**

**But, I watched the movie this weekend with the fam and I forced myself to sit down and write this! I cranked out eighty percent of this chapter in one day! I am the champion.**

**I have to do this every time I write a new story but I don't own Lord of the Rings. I wish I owned Aragorn thought. Just like I wish I owned Thor, Peter Pevensie, Cato, Sam Witwicky, Will Turner, etc.**

**I think my wish would come true. Oh, and David Tennant as well. Yes, then my dreams would come true.**

**Anyway, this story is going to take a long longer to write, considering it is basketball season and I'm also writing a couple other stories in the process. My Avengers fic is on hold momentarily because I have to tie in all of the other movies and they have yet to come out.**

**I did just write a cute holiday Avengers fic though that you should check out if you haven't already. It's at the end of Thunderstruck in case you were wondering.**

**I'm rambling. Sorry. **

**Love you guys and review please!**

**Love, **

**Blue**


	2. Chapter 2

**Third Person's POV**

The speckled stallion's hooves thundered across the Rohan plains. Both of his riders smiled in contentment as their hair blew about in the breeze. The group of horses continued to race across the plains, each of them snorting through their nose as they intook air.

Lady Quwen wished terribly that she could stand up in the saddle but the hobbit riding behind her kept her from fulfilling her wishes. Without a doubt, he would tumble off the back with nothing to hold onto seeing as how he gripped her waist tightly now.

Spurring her horse to go faster, Delgaranor happily complied and thundered forward, his long and powerful legs eating up the ground. However, the female had to pull him back slightly. For she had enough respect to remain behind the white steed belonging to no other than the King of Rohan himself.

Buildings could be seen in the distance as they came upon the village. The roof of the Golden Hall shone brightly in the sunlight, signalling that they were approaching Rohan.

Galloping through the front gates, the riders rode up the hill to the Golden Hall. Brego pulled to a stop beside his fellow stallion. Both of them snorted in greeting, Del reaching out with his long nose to smell the dark horse. Brego also sniffed the speckled stallion and the both of them lowered their ears.

Yes, they could tolerate one another for now. It seemed that their riders did. In fact, it seemed that their riders enjoyed each other greatly.

Aragorn stepped from his horse and handed his reigns to a stable boy. The dark stallion neighed deeply, not wanting to leave his rider behind. He had to comply however as the young man towed him away.

Aragorn watched as they led Brego away before turning back to Quwen. He walked around the front of the horse and held the reigns for his friend.

He gently cooed to the large horse, speaking soft elvish words to the steed. He only neighed in return before gently searching the Ranger's fingers for some sort of reward.

"Silly horse, I have no treats for you. You should bother your own rider if you wish for a reward..." He continued to stroak the soft velvet of his pink nose. It seemed as though the stallion had taken a liking to the Heir of Isildur. He had seen others, such as Boromir, trying to pet the speckled steed, only to end up being bitten in the process.

The blonde gracefully swung down out of the saddle, a task she was accustomed to after riding for so many years. Turning back to the saddle, she helped her hobbit companion down. He seemed pleased enough to be back on the ground. Pippin just wasn't as comfortable around horses as Merry was but that was alright.

A stable boy offered to take the reigns from Aragorn but he only shook his head. He knew that Quwen liked to take care of her horse herself. He would accompany her to the stables so they could spend some time with each other.

He had hardly seen her the last few days and wished to be alone in her presence.

The lady ranger went to reach for the reigns but Aragorn kept them from her reach. Sighing, she began walking towards the stables with Aragorn and her steed in tow.

Pippin had said farewell and had already left to go wash up inside before the feast. Her nose wrinkled up at the thought. She supposed that she was required to wear a dress to the celebration. She did not enjoy dresses. The last dress she wore was in Rivendell, when they had to attend the meeting about the One Ring.

That seemed so long ago. Almost a year had passed since that meeting. Meaning a year with Aragorn and their other companions. She didn't really refer to them as companions anymore though. They were her family.

Aragorn did not say a word as he trailed silently behind the lady. However, he did fall into step with her and they soon walked side by side. Turning his head ever so slightly, he found the reason for her quiet solitude.

Her hazel eyes were distant as she looked out over the village. She was thinking once more which would mean that she would most likely be in a sour mood once she had awoken from her day dream.

Upon entering the stables, Aragorn touched her arm to wake her. She blinked rapidly a few times before stepping aside and letting him pass. Guiding Del into the stall, Quwen entered inside as well.

Brego was in the stall next to Del and hearing the entering of a new horse, the brown stallion raised his head, his mouth full of oats and hay. Cooing a creating, Quwen reached across the way and scratched his long face affectionately.

With nimble fingers, she began to unbuckle all her saddle bags and she slung them over her shoulders. Reaching underneath the large stallion's stomach, she undid the saddle, a task that seemed to be of habit for her since she had done it so many times before hand.

However, a set of strong arms came around on either side of her and lifted the saddle from the horse's back. She was tempted for a moment, to just lean back into his chest and close her eyes. She hadn't gotten much sleep in the last couple of days, even when they stopped for a break during their ride back from Isengard.

He brought it over her head, carefully not to hit her with the stirrups. Slinging it up, it came to rest on the high wooden beam that created the stall between the horses. He watched as the speckled horse dropped the bit from his mouth and into her waiting palm. Drapping it over the post near the door, she began brushing out his fur.

He was in need of a bath.

Grasping a handful of hair, she pulled it away and saw all the reddish brown hair that came away with her palm. Her nose wrinkled up slightly as she whipped her hands on her pants.

She continued the repetitive motion as she stoked his fur with the brush. Del neighed deeply in content, chewing his hay lazily in the process. Shutting her own eyes in contentment, she let her hand move on its own. However, they opened once more when a hand covered hers on the brush.

Aragorn smiled weakly when he saw that Quwen's eyes had drifted shut. She seemed to be so tired. He rested his hand on her own, his hand easily covered her smaller, cleaner one. He came to stand up behind her once more. His arm came to rest around her waist and he slightly pulled her back towards him.

Her back was now against his warm chest and her eyes only grew heavier. Aragorn felt her weight grow heavier and her arm wasn't really moving anymore, he was doing most of the work.

"Why don't you get some rest before the feast? I can finish here..." He whispered into her ear. She hesitated for a moment but slowly nodded. Rest sounded wonderful. Kissing the top of her head, he dropped his arm so she could leave.

With his stoney blue eyes, he watched her exit the stable before he proceeded to brush through the horse's fur.

Aragorn sent her off to find rest and with heavy eyes, she climbed the stairs up to the Golden Hall. Upon entering inside, her hazel eyes recognized Éomer who was talking to some Rohirric soldiers.

He also noticed her enter the hall and he turned away from the men and strode over to her, a terribly wide smile on his face.

"Are you alright, my lady? You look like you could use some sleep?" His eyes glinted playfully and Quwen barely nodded.

"Aragorn sent me inside so that I could rest before the meal..." She replied quietly, fighting to keep her eyes opened. Never before had sleep threatened to claim her so harshly before and she needed a bed before she collapsed entirely.

Without warning, she was swept upward and slung across strong shoulders. Éomer chuckled deeply when she began to protest, mumbling a few angry words about how incompetent he was. She also said something about mules but it was not in context to any type of horses.

Arriving at her old room, the Third Marshal gently set her down on her feet. He was surprised when she punched him, her fist coming into contact with his bicep. He rubbed his shoulder, surprised at how much force she could put behind it when she was so tired.

Pushing open the door, he led her inside and she collapsed onto the bed. Without another word, she unbuckled her sword and laid it against the beside table. She also unbuckled her daggers. Bending down to help her get ready to sleep, he took her boots off and was surprised when a dagger fell from inside. He jumped back in surprise, smiling up at Quwen, who in return shrugged her shoulders. He also tugged her socks off, letting her bare feet fall to the floor.

Pulling back the covers, she slid under the blanket and rested her head against the pillow. She sighed in contentment and Éomer kissed her temple before striding to the door. Glancing back into the room, he could see her breathing even out and he knew she must have already been asleep.

She was just like a sister to him. In the short time that he knew her, they had connected on some level. Maybe it was their love of horses. Maybe it was their personality. Or maybe it was something else entirely.

The bed continued to tempt her, wanting her to just crawl under the covers and sleep for hours upon end.

And she did just that.

* * *

"My lady?"

Someone was prodding her. She didn't recognize the voice.

"Lady Quwen?" Someone prodded her in the side once more. Reaching under her pillow, she withdrew her knife she had been holding. Turning back to the voice, the servant girl screamed and leapt back.

The young Rohan girl nearly fell back in shock. Quwen's hazel eyes were wide and when she woke from her daze, she dropped the long hunting knife.

"My apologizes... I didn't mean to startle you..." Reaching back under the pillow, she placed the knife back into the sheath and flopped back onto the pillows.

"I b-believe that you may want to begin getting r-ready, my l-lady!" The young girl stammered and the blonde woman rolled her eyes. "Lord A-Aragorn sent for me to wake y-you!"

"Thank you..." She sat quietly under the warm covers for a moment before she swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her feet hit the cold floor but she no longer cared.

Going to stand beside the warm fire, she basked in the warmth that it brought to the room. Stretching out her sore muscles, she decided that she may want to start cleaning up for the party.

"Do you wish for me to help you prepare for the feast?" Quwen shook her head after a moment of thought. She could prepare herself. She was not a child.

"You may choose my dress if you would like?" Quwen stated and the younger girl smiled sheepishly and nodded before heading off to the wardrobe and rummaging through the dresses inside.

There was already buckets of water placed near the tub in the corner of the room. Stripping down to her undergarments, she tossed them aside before slipping into the hot water. At first it burned her skin before her taut muscles relaxed some and she was just content to sit.

However, she knew that she had to get ready so she reached from the tub and retrieved the soaps for her hair and body. The dirt and blood washed away from her skin, leaving it once again tanned and smooth.

She had forgotten how nice a bath was. That was the only part to wandering the woods for months on end. No hot baths.

After she finished, she wrapped herself in a towel and dried her hair by the fireplace. Sitting back down into the seat by the flames, she watched them dance about inside the pit. It was odd how beautiful something so dangerous could be.

At moments, Quwen could swear that the flames were beckoning her to join them in the fireplace, yet she knew not to unless she wished to catch fire and burn.

With her hair completely dry, she made her way over to the bed once more. Gold accompanied the deep red on the soft fabric of the gown. A large cut was made in the middle of the dress but golden fabric had filled the place instead of red.

The sleeves were also red but they opened up and inside, it revealed that they were indeed golden. The opening wasn't overly large, but just enough so that you could see the gold inside.

Quwen wondered how long it had taken the girl to choose the dress, for she hadn't been around for long as the Lady of the North bathed.

Slipping the fabric over a fresh pair of underclothes, she laced it up in the back. She decided to leave her golden hair down around her shoulders. However, she brought the sides in more and braided them together to keep them from her face. Legolas had shown her how to do it at one time, she could not recall when though.

Slipping on some simple shoes, she made her way from her room. Hiking up the bottom of her dress, she proceeded down the corridor until the sounds inside the Great Hall could be heard.

People were taking their places at tables and she soon found her elf and dwarf friend. Boromir was also seated next to Gimli and he sent her a wide smile when he caught sight of her.

"I see you combed your hair for the special occasion...?" He teased and she merely smiled.

"And I see that you took a bath?" She teased the Steward's son who merely laughed. Capturing her hand in his own, he gently kissed the back of her hand.

"Oh, come now, Boromir. We all know you're not a gentleman..." She replied and Gimli laughed rather loudly by her side. He merely slapped the soldier on the back in a good manner. Legolas smiled as well at their antics. He swore, they were like children at times.

Glancing around the room, she caught sight of Aragorn more towards the front of the room. In fact, he was at the very first table were the King and the Third Marshal would eat once the toasting was done.

"You may want this, lass!" Gimli pushed a goblet her way and she tentatively picked up. Liquor, just what she needed right now. Over the years, she had learned from men by simply watching them. Drinking was one of those things.

Suddenly everyone grew quiet and stood. Quwen turned around and faced the front of the room. Théoden had rise off his majestic thrown and had his own cup raised in the air.

"Tonight we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country... Hail the victorious dead!" He held up his cup higher.

"HAIL!" Sounded out through the Golden Hall, which was quite full now that Quwen took in her surroundings. People lined the walls and there was hardly any space for anyone to even move around.

Raising the goblet to her lips, she took a long swig of the contents inside. It burned her throat momentarily before she licked her lips to taste exactly what it had been. Mead. The honey was very evident now and she took another swig.

"Better ease up there, darling! Don't want to loose you to any other men tonight, right?" Boromir laughed and so did her other companions. She merely rolled her eyes before slamming the goblet back down on the table, bone dry.

"Oh, please! I can handle my liquor better than you can!" She protested as she whipped her mouth with the back of her hand. She suddenly cringed and remembered that they were in a public place and not in the wilderness were she could act like her true self.

Now, the feast was in full swing. Many people were finished eating and some of the servants had moved the tables to the sides of the hall so that people could dance. Of course, Quwen was only sitting and watching as were her other companions.

In all actuality, Boromir had been asked to dance by some Rohan woman. He had shared a look with the lady ranger before being led away by the woman to engage in the dancing that was occurring.

A frown pulled at the corner of her lips though, when Éowyn approached Aragorn and offered him a drink from a fancy chalice. She had no doubt poisoned it or something of that manner.

A wave of pride washed over her when she watched as he took only a small sip before he turned away from her, a solemn look in his face. Quwen couldn't help but smirk at that. The White Lady had just been turned down by the heir of Isildur.

She could see him moving between the people now, the same beautiful woman twirling in his arms. She merely smiled at the scene. He was actually smiling right now and she could not believe he was having such a good time.

Moving to go get more mead, Quwen stood and gracefully walked over to one of the large containers. Éomer was casually leaned against one of the large barrels and he watched her approach.

When she finished filling her cup, she leaned beside him and took another long drink.

"You don't seem to be engaging in much dancing as of late?" He teased as he took a sip of his own drink. For a moment, she wondered why the cup held but pushed it away. She didn't really care at the moment.

"I am not one to dance, my good man..." She told him but he only laughed and shook his head. Setting his glass down, he reached out and grasped her hand.

"Ah, but tonight you are!" Tugging her out onto the dance floor, he only stopped momentarily to make her place her cup down. They were soon twirling in the mass of bodies that danced about the Golden Hall.

Even for all the alcohol that she had been drinking that night, she easily stayed on her feet, the foul drink hardly affecting her. She grumbled under breath as she continued to be twirled by the Third Marshal but he only continued to smile at her.

His hazel eyes sparkled with mirth and finally Quwen had to smile at the Rohirric soldier. Spinning her by her hand, the two of them laughed. Her dress twirled about her feet and she had kicked her shoes off only a few minutes ago.

The music was fast and they continued to prance around at a high rate. Her legs burned after a short while and before she knew what was happening,

Éomer dipped her. She gripped tightly to the front of his shirt, her eyes wide. At first, she had thought that he dropped her yet here she was, still secure in his strong arms. He laughed when he saw her facial expression, for it was full of fear and worry.

Standing back up, he steadied her on her feet before a second song started. Once more, she was forced to dance alongside the Third Marshal until finally he grew tired. He told her that he would find her again after a while to continue dancing.

Seeking out her cup, Quwen emptied it once more. Reasoning with herself, she decided that the only reason she was allowing anyone to dance with her was because of the blasted drink that she continued to sip on.

A short distance away, people were laughing loudly. As Quwen approached, she realized that Gimli and Legolas were engaged in some sort of drinking game. With a new curiosity, the female watched over the elf's shoulder. She doubted that any type of men's liquor even affected him. He had grown up as Prince of the Woodland Realm and elves were known for their strong liquor.

But, she didn't doubt her dwarf friend. She bet he could drink her under the table but going up against an elf? That was not wise.

She turned away from game, already knowing that Legolas would win. However, when she turned around, she collided with a solid chest. Thinking that it was Boromir, she had a snide comment prepared but it appeared as though she wouldn't need one.

Aragorn gently gripped her arms to keep her from falling. He had a small smile on his face and she returned it.

"Would the fine lady care to dance?" He asked quietly, placing his mouth right by her ear so she could hear. The drinking game must have been coming to a close because the crowd roared with every drink the players took.

Quwen thought it over for a moment, she was beginning to tire and she still needed more rest. Slowly, she shook her head.

Aragorn felt a wave of jealousy pass over him. Quwen did not wish to dance with him yet she would dance with his friend, Éomer? What had occurred that she did not wish to dance with him?

"So you will dance with the Third Marshal, but no I? You're long time companion and fellow ranger?" Quwen did not answer once more. Instead, she stared into her cup and that angered him slightly.

"Do not rob me of this one cherished moment..." He whispered again lowly, his fingers grazing her cheek. Her hazel eyes flashed up to him and she finally nodded. He gently led her out onto the floor.

Gently bringing her into his arms, they danced much slower than the beat of the song was. Luckily, it soon slowed down into a gentler tone, bringing the tempo with it. Together, they gently turned. Her hand was on his shoulder and her other was grasped in his own.

She had rid herself of her cup along time ago, finding herself to be content enough in Aragorn's arms.

"You wore your hair down..." He said quietly, gently brushing his fingers against the golden hair that fell around her shoulders. Yes, her mother was indeed a woman of Rohan. She seemed to fit in so easily with the people here.

Noticing the pendant around his neck, it brought a smile to her lips. He was wearing her necklace.

"I only danced with Éomer because he found me first!" Quwen protested and Aragorn only smiled.

"I must apologize then, for I was busy entertaining his sister..." She raised an eyebrow at her dancing partner.

"Lady Éowyn?"

"Yes, she seemed to demand my attention at the time. Very bothersome..." He smiled and so did Quwen. It reassured her that Aragorn thought her just as annoying as Quwen did.

"I am glad you have found me though..."

"Yes, I have finally found after so long... I thought I never would..." He replied quietly, his voice wavering slightly. A troubled look suddenly went across his face and sadness appeared in his eyes.

"I am here with you, now..." She raised a hand up and lightly touched his cheek. His blue eyes were drawn back into her own hazel pair. Inside them, he found comfort and warmth, unlike anything he had encountered before.

The music stopped however and he gently released her hand.

"Lady Quwen!" Merry called from somewhere. She easily recognized his voice and searched for her smaller companion. It didn't take long though, for he bounded towards her and stopped a few feet away.

"What is it, Merry?"

"Gimli doesn't think that you can knock an apple off his head!"

"Well, that seems to be relatively easy considering..."

"With a knife..." It took her a second to process the information before the hobbit saw the challenging glint enter her eyes. Aragorn knew she would not back down from the dwarf's proposal.

"Breeze, I do not think that it would be the best-"

"Hush, Aragorn. Where is Gimli? Someone, fetch me a knife!" She shouted and the men around her cheered. They shoved the dwarf forward who found her to be relatively sober and smiled.

Legolas had bet against them that she couldn't but Gimli had protested. When the elf mentioned that she was probably drunk, Gimli's face had paled considerably. He really did not want to take a knife to the head.

Out of nowhere, someone handed her a knife which she happily excepted.. She turned around the found the man to be Boromir who had come to witness the event himself. He was just as curious as the rest of them were.

Gimli stood back against the wall and everyone cleared a circle around them. Aragorn himself didn't doubt her accuracy when it came to throwing knifes, he was just doubted how good her aim was under the influence of alcohol.

Placing an apple atop his head, Quwen took about fifteen steps away. Twirling the knife in her fingers, she steadied herself. Everyone was dead silent when she brought her arm up and she tensed.

In the blink of an eye, it happened. There was the quiet sound of a knife slicing through the air and then the apple was sticking out of the wall with a knife through it. Everyone let out a loud cheer and someone thrust a mug into her hands.

In celebration, she raised it in the air and then brought it to her lips to take a sip. Everyone else around her cried out once more and took a long drink. She received many pats on the back from the men and Boromir even hugged her.

Gimli still looked like he was about to cry. She would have killed him if she had aimed to low.

"Bless you lassie!" The dwarf hugged her tightly and she only patted his back affectionately. He soon released her and she turned back to Aragorn. He did not look very pleased yet she saw him smile after a moment.

She was unbelievable.

Out of the corner of her eye, movement caught her attention. She watched as Aragorn moved off through the crowd. Her hazel eyes followed his form before her body moved on its own accord. She followed him out the door of the Golden Hall.

It was a bit cold outside but it was a relief to her after being in such a tight place. It had gotten so hot and now it was cold.

The warmth of the fire left her as she stepped outside. Wrapping her arms around her, she shivered slightly. "Aragorn?" She called after him yet he did not respond. Looking around her, she found the area to be deserted, yet the sounds of merry people could be heard from the Golden Hall.

Going where he disappeared, Quwen glanced around for him. It was just so damn dark and she couldn't see!

"Aragorn?" She called once more and suddenly there was hands on her face. They gently cupped her face and she could feel the cold steel of a ring on one of the fingers.

A warm pair of lips pressed down onto her own and she inhaled suddenly. Aragorn had never been this forward before.

But, this would be one of the only times that they would be alone together so he would have to make this count. His lips were as soft and warm as before, if not filled with more passion for the woman before him.

They broke a part for a moment and his hand gently caressed the sides of her face, also intertwining into her hair.

His arms wrapped around her waist, her own hands rested upon his chest, gently playing with the soft fabric of his tunic. He dipped down for another kiss, this one was soft and feathery.

She could see his blue eyes in the moonlight and she smiled slightly. It felt as though she was in a dream. Her knight had found her.

"What do we do now?" She asked quietly as he stroked her cheek. His breathing caught in his throat for a moment, wondering if she was certainly asking about this.

"Well, I wished to kiss you more but if you want to stop-"

"No, I meant, what do we do know that Saruman is dead? Will Sauron's forces move again?" He looked out over the land for a moment, thinking of her question for a few long moments.

"There is nothing we can do but wait..." He whispered to her lowly before he lightly pressed his lips to her forehead. She shut her eyes as the warmth spread through her skin and enveloped her completely.

Suddenly feeling her stomach churn painfully, she groaned as her mind swam. The alcohol was just now getting to her.

"Are you alright, Breeze?" He asked her and she swayed slightly in his arms.

"It is only the mead I have been drinking..." She insisted and she giggled like a child before she bit her lip playfully. Oh, yes the alcohol was affecting her and was making her act like a fool. She stumbled a bit.

Luckily, Aragorn supported her weight and looked down at her with worry evident in the cool liquid pools that were his dark and brooding eyes. His strong arms supported her waist and he slowly lowered the both of them to the ground.

He only looked away for one moment before looking back and Quwen was fast asleep in his arms, heavily affected by all the alcohol he had seen her sipping that night.

"Oh, Breeze..." He brushed his fingers through her soft blonde hair. She looked so peaceful as she rested. Not a care in a world like nothing could no longer hurt her in this world.

Lifting her up into his arms, she walked through the side door into the hall. She was rather light and didn't move around much. When he reached her respectable room, he pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside.

The warmth from the fire hit him and he walked to the large bed and placed her onto the soft padding. Pulling the covers over her, she sighed in contentment through her nose and pressed her face into the pillow.

Aragorn watched her for a moment. He was about to turn and leave when he heard her mumble something in her sleep.

"Aragorn... Stay..." He froze mid step before slowly turning around. She was of course still fast asleep and yet in her dreams she still wanted him to be with her. Fighting with his inner morals and what was proper, he sighed and slowly sat down on the bed next to her.

Kicking off his boots, he laid back against the head board and almost as if she knew that he would stay, she rolled over and nuzzled into his chest. He felt warmth spread through his stomach and he slowly wrapped his arm around her strong shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

His stone blue eyes soon grew heavy with the warm body beside her. The warmth from the blazing fire before them also did not help to keep him awake. Settling down more in the bed, Quwen made a small noise of discomfort before she shifted into a more comfortable position.

Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, the next few words that she mumbled made his heart stop for a moment before bursting with happiness.

"Aragorn... I love you..." He only watched her face for a moment before kissing her temple and gradually falling asleep. Yet, he couldn't get the same words to fall from his own mouth for fear that she was truly awake and she would hear.

* * *

**Alright, I normally don't complain about getting constructive criticism. But, I had one very angry review and I didn't appreciate you bashing on my story! **

**I don't care if you don't like my OC, don't read my story then! You can hit the back button and leave my page! Believe me, I won't care! You don't have to complain about how I write my story! I'm trying to express myself through my writing so basically you're dissing on me!**

**Also, I checked out your profile and you say how you hate it when people change Tolkien's story? Guess what? You changed part of his story so don't be a hypocrite!**

**Plus, it is QUWEN! IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO SPELL, HOT DAMN! FIX YOUR OWN DAMN FINGERS! PLUS SHE'S NOT A BIMBO!**

**Sorry you others had to see that. I was just a little angry. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews and I'm so glad most of my readers have stuck it out through the first two stories. I love you guys. **

**P.S. I'm not bipolar.**

**Love,**

**Blue**


	3. Chapter 3

**Third Person's POV**

She stirred in her sleep, turning over as she slowly opened her eyes. She winced as the light from the firelight burned her eyes and she put her face back into the pillow.

This side of her bed was already warm, yet she had only just rolled over. It still appeared to be night as the sky was still dark.

Her head pounded slightly from the intake of all the alcohol. As she sat up, her head fell into her hands. She hadn't drank like that for a long time. Everything that had occurred last night was a bit jumbled.

She recalled dancing with both Éomer and Aragorn. She remembered Gimli and Legolas drinking. She remembered the knife throwing bit, also being embraced by a drunken Boromir.

However, the end of the night was terribly confusing. All that she remembered was that she followed Aragorn outside and then...

And then everything was gone. She couldn't recall what had happened after walking outside. It had only occurred a few hours ago and she wondered how she got back in her room.

Had Aragorn brought her back inside? Had she passed out? She was in her bed once more so someone must have brought her back here.

"Oh no..." She groaned as she took in her ruffled dress. What if someone had snuck into her room and defiled her?

She suddenly felt natious and she reached around blindly beside the bed. Someone had placed a bucket there as if they had known that she would have a need to use it. She emptied the contents of her stomach into the pail, feeling slightly more relieved.

However, the unsettling feeling in her stomach about being defiled did not cease. Growing nautious once more, she filled the bucket with everything she had eaten last night.

Putting it back on the floor, she walked over to the tub. It still had some water inside and she bent down and splashed some water on her face. Feeling a little better, she approached the dresser that in the corner of her room.

She pulled out a tunic and a pair of trousers. She let the dress fall to the floor in a crumbled heap before she slid into the soft tunic. Pulling her boots on, she stood up straight.

Her mouth was extremely dry and she felt the need to find something to drink.

Pulling her hair back with a strip of leather, she undid the braid from the night before and fastened it so that it would be out of her face. Pushing the door open, she stepped out into the hall and looked around.

It was deathly quiet inside the Golden Hall and her feet ghosted across the stone flooring.

Making her way across the hall, she exited through the side door. It creaked slightly upon opening it and she winced. Closing it behind her, she walked along the path to the stables.

Walking over to the long drinking trough, she pulled the bucket up from the well and dumped it into the container. Dipping her hands into the cold water, she brought it up to her lips for a refreshing drink.

She also splashed some more water onto her face and took a deep breath.

Quwen made her way into the stables, the warmth from the horses heating the building. Her feet carried her right to her own valiant steed. He hadn't seemed to have sensed her presence yet, for his eyes were shut and his head hung low to the ground.

"Delgaranor..." She prodded him lightly on the rear and his large eyes slowly opened and turned to her. He only nickered deeply and slowly turned around to face his rider. He reached out with his long neck and sniffed at her fingers.

"I don't have any food for you..." She said quietly as he rubbed his soft lips over her fingers. He then took to nibbling on her tunic and she couldn't help but laugh as she stroked his ears.

This horse had been with her since the very beginning of her adventures. He had carried her over all the distant lands. Through all the dangers she had faced. Into battle multiple times. He was a part of her and she would be devastated if anything had ever happened to her mount.

Aragorn somehow prodded his way into her mind. She stopped stoking his ears for a moment to glance into the next stall. Brego was asleep as well, not having heard Quwen's soft words that she had spoken to her own horse.

She was in a predicament. Quwen was getting way to attached to Aragorn. She couldn't keep telling herself that she wouldn't fall in love with him. Yet, she had been this whole time.

Everything was just becoming to complicated.

Sighing in frustration, Del continued to nibble on her shirt and she stroked him between the ears. She would have to leave before this was all over. She couldn't stay with Aragorn or else things would become worse.

She would become more attached. And she would hate herself if she did that.

"Do you want to stretch your legs, hmm? How does that sound?" She cooed to him and he lifted his head up in excitement. She smiled and reached over his head for the bridle that was left on the post.

Drapping it over his ears, he excepted the bit into his mouth. Guiding him outdoors, she slipped the reigns over his head and neck. Grasping a fistful of mane, she took one hop before swinging her leg up onto his back.

Letting her rear conform to the bones in his back, she clicked her tongue at him and he proceeded forward. Walking through the dark town, she made sure that the two of them were relatively quiet.

Eventually, they reached the gate and the land before them opened up once more. She could do it. She could just run away at this very moment. Her companions might miss her but that would eventually go away.

Aragorn might miss her and that was what scared her the most.

However, she hadn't packed anything to go on a journey. Her sword and weapons were also still in her room. The long blade was leaned up against the bedside table, the hilt reflecting in the fire that danced in the fireplace.

Instead of simply letting the reigns go, she pointed Del back towards the gates for a moment. Turning him towards the fence that surrounded the village, she guided him along the outer part of the village.

The trip would take half an hour or so, just enough time for Quwen to relax and get things sorted.

* * *

She had just finished with her ride and Del was already settled back into his stall. Walking back up to the Golden Hall, she made to go through the hall, to find food if possible. Her stomach had grumbled multiple times during the ride and she decided she better feed herself.

However as she was walking up the front stairs, two people were standing outside. She froze midstep, holding her breath. It was to bad though, she had already been seen by them.

Proceeding to walk up the stairs, she made her way over to the two figures, only to find it was Legolas and Aragorn. They both watched her approach but she noted that Aragorn would not meet her eyes.

He was puffing on his pipe, a look of calm in his eyes. Legolas was also deathly quiet and she wondered why they were both silent.

"The stars are veiled. Something stirs in the East, a sleepless malice. The eye of the enemy is moving..." The elf warned suddenly, causing both Rangers to eye him. Quwen made to stand next to Aragorn.

"You should still be sleeping..." He told her quietly. She only smiled briefly before looking at her feet.

"I couldn't sleep. Plus I was terribly thirsty..."

"So you decided to ride out into the darkness?" He asked her quietly, taking another deep breath as he smoked his pipe. She only glanced at him before visibly tensing.

"I needed to clear my head..."

"You didn't even take a weapon with you?"

"Del is fast enough to outrun orcs..." She protested but Aragorn only fell silent. He puffed away on his pipe once more, making her frown. They were all silent for a short while. Legolas had only ever spoken about how the enemy was moving.

Harsh whispering suddenly filled her ears and she shut her eyes tightly.

"_Quwen... I will have you... Lady of the North... I SEE YOU_!" Sauron hissed and she continued to hold her head in her hands. Both of the men just stood to the side, watching in terror was their friend writhed in pain.

A vision of a white tree suddenly replaced the burning Eye of Sauron. At one point it had been lush and green but in one harsh wind, all the leaves were blown off the white branches and the tree went up in flames. Behind it she could see white stone towers rise high into the air. The sky was dark and covered in clouds.

A loud whimper escaped her throat and she clutched more tightly at her head. Her legs collapsed once more. Aragorn easily caught her before she hit the ground and he looked up at Legolas with wide eyes.

"Quwen! Quwen... Breeze!" Aragorn shook the female in his arms. The terrible hissing in her head ceased and her hands fell from her ears. "Quwen!" He called once more, letting his fingers trail along the back of her cheek.

She was surrounded by darkness but she felt someone stroking her cheek. Focusing on the warm feeling, she was soon able to let her eyes flutter open. She was met with the sight of Aragorn's own blue pair.

"What happened?"

"You collapsed..."

"I heard him in my head..."

"Heard who?"

"_Him_..." She whimpered before shutting her eyes again. Aragorn hugged her to his chest as she sobbed slightly. She was just so scared. He said he was coming for her. He could see her and that terrified her.

"Aragorn! Quwen!" They both froze and looked up at the elf who had kept watch. "He is here!" The two rangers shared a look before Aragorn hauled her to her feet. the three of them raced off into the dark hall.

Breeze could feel the darkness emanating from one room and when they turned a wrong way, she reached out to her friends. "We're going the wrong way!" She told them before bolting and going back the other way.

They soon arrived back in a hall where the rest of the Fellowship had been sleeping. Pippin stood in the middle of them, the onyx orb from before in his hands. It seemed to glow orange with fire and on the inside, the Great Eye could easily be seen.

Aragorn pushed passed Quwen, reaching out towards Pippin. Yanking the orb from the hobbit's hands, he collapsed to the ground. Aragorn's face twisted into a distorted scream but no sound escaped.

He writhed in pain and the orb dropped from his hands. It tumbled across the floor and Quwen's eyes followed the blazing orb. The loud screaming and hissing started up once again in her ears and she fell to the ground beside Aragorn.

She cried out in pain herself, screwing her eyes shut as she grasped at her head. Her fingers dug into her hair as she continued to twist in pain. All in one moment, the torture stopped and she fell to her hands and knees beside Aragorn.

"_Aragorn... You have to open your eyes_..." She told him quietly and he reached out blindly with his hands. She grasped them in her own and kissed them gently. She cooed to him a few more times in elvish, the soothing voice seeming to calm him greatly.

His eyes slowly opened but he only stared up blankly at the ceiling. The hissing in her head had stopped but her head pounded and a ringing filled her ears. Slowly she regained her hearing and winced as everyone yelled.

"-andalf! Something's wrong with Aragorn!" At one moment, Gandalf, Legolas, and Boromir were all at her side. The Gondorian pulled her back so that they two other healers could attend to him.

He released her after a moment. She turned to look at him and she noticed that his eyes were bloodshot. His face was also pale and he seemed to have a headache, seeing how he winced whenever someone would pound on something.

"Will he be alright?" She called, worry evident in her brown eyes. Sure, she was a healer but not to the magical extent. Standing off to the side with Boromir, she felt utterly helpless.

Gandalf placed a hand over Aragorn's face, muttering a few words under his breath. Suddenly, Aragorn breathed in deeply and began coughing. He sat up immediately, his blue eyes filled with fear.

Realizing where he was, he relaxed after a moment. Legolas helped him to sit up and Quwen also relaxed. He would be fine.

She watched as Gandalf also moved to Pippin's side. He repeated the same process as he did with Aragorn. He muttered a few words under his breath before Pippin awoke with a gasp.

"Look at me!" Gandalf demanded and the hobbit flinched.

"Gandalf, forgive me!" He pleaded, his voice cracking as he closed his eyes once more.

"Look at me! What did you see?"

"A-A tree, there was a white tree in a courtyard of stone... I-It was dead!" Pippin whispered while he clutched tightly to Gandalf's hand. Quwen's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"A t-tree?" She stuttered, making to move closer to the wizard and hobbit. Her hands began to shake as she neared them. Pippin slowly nodded his head, sweat dripping from his brow.

"The city was burning..." Pippin continued, locking eyes with Quwen. She only nodded along as he spoke. Gandalf now looked to her, extremely bewildered.

"Minas Tirith? Is that what you saw?" Gandalf questioned the both of them.

"I saw... I saw him! I could hear his voice in my head!" Pippin squeaked, almost on othe verge of tears.

"And what did you tell him? Speak!" Gandalf snapped, causing the hobbit to flinch back.

"He asked me my name. I didn't answer. He hurt me!" Pippin cried out, clearing still fearful from his experience. He was visibly shaking and Quwen had the urge to kneel down beside her friend and bring him into her arms.

"What did you tell him about Frodo and the Ring?" Gandalf asked one more question. Everyone in the room was silent. Quwen only exchanged a worried glance with Boromir. He reached a hand out and grasped her own, giving her comfort in her time of need.

* * *

"There was no lie in Pippin's eyes. A fool but an honest fool he remains..." Gandalf defended the small hobbit. They had all gathered in the Golden Hall. They had woken Théoden and Éomer so that they could hear what had occurred in the night.

The hobbits were seated a short distance away. Pippin looked pale and was still shaking slightly but Merry was right beside him, trying to comfort his friend.

"He told Sauron nothing of Frodo and the Ring..." Everyone in the room relaxed slightly. Gimli let out a particularly loud sigh as he slumped back against the pillar he was sitting against. Quwen rolled her eyes at his antics, the most emotion Aragorn had seen from her since before her incident this morning.

"We've been strangely fortunate. Pippin saw in the Palantir a glimpse of the enemy's plan. Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith. Lady Quwen also seemed to witness a similar vision..."

"Not similar... The exact same..." She insisted, annoyance flashing into her eyes. Gandalf merely nodded his head slightly, understanding why she was testy. Hardly any of the Fellowship had gotten any sleep that night.

"But you did not gaze into the Palantir?" Théoden asked her and she shook her head.

"I was only returning from a ride on my horse. I was speaking with Legolas and Aragorn outside when it happened..." The King nodded in understanding.

"So he makes to stirke Minas Tirith..." Éomer stated, getting back to the original subject. Gandalf also nodded, wanting to get back to making his point about Sauron's plans.

"His defeat at Helm's Deep showed our enemy one thing... He knows the Heir of Elendil has come forth!" Gandalf said as he glanced at Aragorn. Quwen placed an arm on his shoulder to show him support. "Men are not as weak as he supposed. There is courage still. Strength enough, perhaps, to challenge him. Sauron fears this. He will not risk the peoples of Middle Earth uniting under one banner. He will raze Minas Tirith to the ground..." He looked once more at Aragorn. "...before he sees a King return to the throne of men. If the beacons of Gondor are lit Rohan must be ready for war!" Gandalf stated, straightening up and trying to gather the King's trust.

"Tell me! Why should we ride to the aid of those who did not come to ours? What do we owe Gondor?" Théoden asked the White Wizard. He was getting angry and if Gandalf did not sway the King, the whole well being of Middle Earth could be in danger.

"I will go!" Quwen suddenly spoke up, knowing that she must ride to Minas Tirith.

"No!" Aragorn protested, turning to face her more fully.

"But they must be warned! Del is one of the fastest horses in all Middle Earth, I can make it in time!"

"Then I am coming with you..." Aragorn grasped her wrist and her hazel eyes flashed dangerously.

"You cannot go and you will not!" Gandalf told the both of them, stopping their bickering entirely. They both turned to look at him, their eyes wide for different reasons. Gandalf gave off an overpowering aura which caused Quwen to look away as he moved towards Aragorn.

"They will be warned... You must come to Minas Tirith by another road. Follow the river. Look to the black ships..." Gandalf turned from the Ranger and his blonde companion narrowed her eyes as she caught his quiet words. "Understand this, things are now in motion that cannot be undone. I ride for Minas Tirith and I wont be going alone..." The wizard looked to the curly haired hobbit before turning his gaze on Boromir.

The autumn haired man looked around before realising that Gandalf was looking at him. A wide smile soon broke out on his face and he laughed for only a moment.

* * *

Gandalf and Boromir soon fled the Golden Hall, making their way to the stables. Their two hobbit companions chased after them, followed by Aragorn and the Lady of the North herself.

She could hear Gandalf muttering under his breath about why it had to be Pippin that stirred the pot. She snorted through her nose though when she realized that this was just like what happened in the Mines. Pippin had knocked another skeleton down a well.

Upon reaching the stables, a frown marred her features.

"How far is Minas Tirith?" She approached Boromir who was struggling to saddle the Rohan horse the King had lended him. However, he only glanced at her and did not spare her a word.

"Three days ride as the Nazgûl flies. And you'd better hope we don't have one of those on our tail!" Gandalf warned Pippin as he lifted him onto Shadowfax. Quwen frowned again as she leaned against a beam holding up the roof.

"I thought you said that you and I would ride into Minas Tirith together one day?" She asked the Steward's son who stopped in his preparation to look at her. She saw disappointment enter his grey eyes and he finished tighteneing the saddle on the horse.

"Well, I'm afraid that that day will have to wait, Quwen..."

"Why are you returning to the city anyway?"

"Gandalf believes that I can help to persuade my father to light the beacons..." He explained as he slung the reigns across the horse's neck. Placing his hand on the saddle horn, he swung up onto the horse's back after two tries. His shoulder was almost completely healed but it would still be some time before he would regain all the strength that he once had.

"Take care of yourself, then. Don't die. I'm still waiting for that escort into the city!" She warned him before stepping back. He only beamed down at her before looking to Gandalf who was also on Shadowfax.

"I have evaded Death once. You do not believe that I can do it again?" He teased her, his grey eyes sparkling with mirth. She laughed at him.

"Yes, but you had my help the first time..."

"Run, Shadowfax show us the meaning of haste!" Gandalf called to his white stallion and the next thing she knew, the two horses and their riders were gone.

* * *

"Keep your back straight!"

The female complied and straightened out her back.

"You have to find the rhythm at which he trots!" Legolas called as he watched her trot around the target on the back of her large horse, bow in hand. She had started her training the afternoon after the trio had left for Gondor.

A growl of defeat came from her throat as she fired her arrow. It was wide and it ended up stuck in the ground beside the potato sack on the stand. Dropping her arm, she scowled at the target.

Withdrawing another arrow, she notched it and fired once more. She missed again. She had been practicing since the early hours of the morning and now the sun was at its highest peak.

Legolas rubbed a hand over his face. Normally she was very adaptive when it came to learning new things but this was one exception. Archery was not her strong point, for she had issues with the training when she was taking care of Boromir in the cave.

Of course, he was surprised to learn that she could actually hit a large target now. But that was when she was stationary. She was riding on the back of a horse now and she was struggling.

Legolas sighed and glanced over at Aragorn. He had been quietly watching, his pipe hanging from his mouth.

Quwen once again missed and she growled in frustration. Pulling her knife from her boot, she threw it haphazardly at the target. It landed with a solid thud and Aragorn laughed while Legolas merely frowned.

Pulling back on the reigns of the horse, he came to a suddenly halt and she held up her hands in defeat. Looking over to her teachers, she scowled while Aragorn continued to laugh openly.

"Why is it that when I don't even try, I can hit a target yet when I concentrate I can't hit the broad side of a stable door!?" She yelled up to the sky, catching Del off guard with her yelling.

Without warning, he reared and since her hands were up towards the sky, questioning the Valar, she had nothing to hold onto. Tumbling from her saddle, she landed hard on her back while the horse whinnied and galloped away.

The bow she once held in her hands tumbled away from her and a groan escaped from her lips as she lay in the dirt. "I'm gonna kill him...!" She grumbled as she rolled over. Her blonde hair was covered in dust and she slowly stood.

Aragorn now stopped laughing and was watching her get up, his stoney blue eyes sparkling with mirth. Wheeling on them, she saw the elf and ranger holding back their laughter as she dusted off her tunic and pants.

Stalking over to the target, she retched her knife free and dropped it back into her boot. Some feathers spilled out of the sack and tumbled to the ground before blowing away in the breeze.

"I give up on horseback archery..."

"What about regular archery?"

"I'll still never be as good as any elf!" She snapped as she tossed her bow down beside Legolas. She plopped down beside them, taking the water skin that Aragorn offered to her.

Sucking down the water, she whipped the back of her mouth with her hand, once more reminded that she was not acting lady-like.

"You just have to practice..." Legolas insisted and Quwen sent him a sharp look.

"I don't have time to practice! I'm not immortal like you are! I don't have all eternity!" She rolled over onto her back, acting just like a spoiled princess. A spoiled princess that she would never be.

"Would some sword play raise your spirits?" Aragorn whispered down to her. When she looked up, he blew smoke into her face and she coughed. It burned her eyes for a moment before she wrinkled her nose and looked up once more.

He only offered her an amused grin before he stood up, offering her his hand. Rolling over, she grasped his forearm and he pulled her upward. Taking a few steps back, the elven prince only stretched his legs out before him. He basked in the Rohan sun and let its rays warm his limbs.

He prepared for the fight to come and he watched in amusement as they circled each other, hands on their sword hilts. In a flash, both their flashing sword were out and were ground against each other.

Quwen's muscles ached wonderfully as she held Aragorn's attacks back. It had been such a long time since she had engaged in battle with a real person instead of ugly orcs and goblins.

There blades crashed against it other repetitively. Both of them had to admit, they were both a good swordsman and swordswoman. However, in the blink of an eye Quwen's long sword was knocked from her hand.

Ducking and rolling under his blade, she pulled the short sword from its sheath on her lower back. She had to dodge his strong swings, blocking a few of them with her short sword.

Aragorn brought his sword above his head, he swung down at her. Blocking his final attack, her muscles strained under the weight. She could see his own muscles shaking slight as he pushed downward, the blade getting ever closer to her face.

Sidestepping, she removed her blade from under his, the sword point stabbed into the ground. Spinning back towards him, Aragorn's foot connected with her wrist. Letting out a hiss of pain, the sword fell from her palm and next thing she knew, Aragorn had her on the ground with his sword point lightly pressing against the smooth skin of her neck.

With a sigh, she let him help her up once more. Picking up her long sword, she held it out to her. With a sharp look, she took it from his hands and sheathed it. Repeating the same process with her short sword, she also picked up her bow and quiver before stalking away to find her loyal steed so that she could give him a piece of her mind.

* * *

Everyone was anxious as the days passed. It was the fourth day. The trio that raced away from Rohan had to have reached the White City by now. In all actuality, they should have reached the city yesterday but that was without stopping.

Quwen had the feeling that Boromir had to stop and rest.

Taking a bite of the soft bread in her hand, she placed it back on the wooden plate at her side. Picking up the charcoal beside the plate, she continued on her drawing. On the blank page before her, the great mountains rose up and reached towards the sky.

Their snow peaked tops glistened in the sunlight, almost blinding her when she had to focus on them to get her picture correct. She was seated in the shade of a porch of a building that overlooked the village.

She had found that it was a quiet place to sit and relax while she could dry. The pages of the leather book were soon filled with elaborate pictures of the city of Rohan. The plains also took up a few pages, representing the freedom that only lay outside the walls.

She itched to just climb upon Del's back and ride away, even if she was still fuming about he had dumped her on her rear two days ago. All she had done was wait. She had spent some time with Éomer the day before.

He took her out and showed her around the city. It was beautiful and Quwen loved how natural everything looked. This place wasn't full of stone and marble. It was constructed of the natural resources that lay in the forest and plains.

Its colors were comprised of rich browns and soft golds. She thought it was beautiful. Quwen was used to having white powder covering the ground during the cold winters in the North.

Looking back at the mountains, she frowned as she added in some shading on one side of the mountain.

"Up here all by yourself?" Her head swiveled to the side and she watched as Aragorn approached with his pipe in his mouth. Smoke drifted lazily from his nostrils as he took a seat beside her. She didn't answer and instead went back to drawing.

Glancing over her shoulder, he noticed that her scetching had taken shape. His blue eyes studied the picture and he noticed that it was the mountain range.

"That's very good..." He praised, inhaling deeply. He also noticed a few pages were folded over and some of them were torn as well. He reached around her and tried to pull on the leather binding.

"Hey that's mine!" He successfully pulled it free from her grasp. She reached out for it but he held it from her reach, curious about the rest of the pictures. He skimmed the pages from the beginning.

The first few pictures were rough and less elaborate than her mountain picture. As time passed, the pictures seemed to become more smooth and they ran together over the pages of the book.

There were multiple pictures of Del grazing on grass, trees beside the Anduin, and even a picture of Boromir resting peacefully in the sunlight. However, he stopped short on one page and he raised the book up to his eyes.

It was almost like he was looking into a mirror. The man looking back at him had the same strong jaw line that was covered with stubble. It even had the scar on his lip. His face was framed by long, dark locks and deep pools stared off into the distance.

"Oh wait!" She reached for the book once more and Aragorn let her pull it away. Using her pinky, she whipped away the deep pools that were his eyes. Taking the charcoal back into her fingers she was about to complete the picture when she stopped.

Reaching out, she grasped Aragorn's chin in her hand and turned it to look at the mountains.

"What are you-" He looked away from the mountains but she forced his face back into its original position.

"Don't move!" She hissed and began to furiously scratching away at the page while looking between him and the page. As he waited for her to finish, he focused his gaze on the mountains.

A small spark caught his eye and the pipe fell from his hands.

"There! Finally done!" She exclaimed as she looked over her work before closing the book. "I never thought I would have gotten your eyes to look exactly as they do now..." She loving stroked the book as she smiled down at it.

However Aragorn didn't respond, his eyes focused on the small flame in the distance. She followed his eyes, looking where he was.

"What are you looking at?" She asked him and he still didn't respond. He rubbed his eyes, making sure he was seeing this correctly. The flame continued to grow until it was a huge blaze and he abruptly stood up.

"The beacons..." She finally understood, sharing a look with Aragorn. Hope suddenly filled up his chest and reaching out in excitement, he kissed her suddenly before taking her hand in his own.

He tugged her towards the Golden Hall, racing up the stairs until they entered inside.

"The beacons of Minas Tirith! The beacons are lit!" He shouted, excitement still in his eyes. Quwen still couldn't believe that he kissed her so suddenly, not that she had minded. It was quite exhilarating.

"Gondor calls for aid!" She added, just as out of breath as Aragorn was. Her own hazel eyes sparkled in triumph. Boromir had been able to convince his father to light the beacons! They had made it safely!

Everyone turned to look at the King, tension in the air as he decided what to do. Time seemed to slow down as he exchanged a look with Éomer. The Third Marshal nodded, telling the King that he would ride with him no matter his decision.

"And Rohan will answer! Muster the Rohirrim!" He called to his soldiers. Quwen and Aragorn shared a smile, their fingers till intertwined. People began to bustle about. Rohan would aid Gondor in this war.

Man was definitely not weak as Sauron had thought.

* * *

**Thanks to all who reviewed! Thank you for all the support and the wonderfully long message I received from dandapanda. I seriously smiled the whole time I read your message and review!**

**Also, thank you to all the others. You are what gets me through the hard times.**

**I know realize that Quwen may be a bit Mary Sueish but in this chapter, I've tried to fix some of that. Aragorn beat her in a sword fight, she can't shoot a bow and arrow on horseback, she still doesn't know if she should stay with her companions. **

**Anyway, review! I love you guys!**

**Love,**

**Blue**


	4. Chapter 4

**Third Person's POV**

"Are you ready to go, Del?" Quwen whispered to her valiant steed as he stood patiently in his stall, waiting to ride out with the rest of the Rohirric soldiers.

She tightened the cinch around his stomach and she slapped it, knowing he would puff out his chest so that the saddle wouldn't be tight enough and she would simply slide of while riding. Slapping it once more, he sucked his stomach in and she quickly tightened the cinch.

Slinging her saddle bags across his rump, she fastened it to the back of the saddle, securing them so that they wouldn't slide off during the long journey that was ahead of them.

Drapping the bridle over his large ears, she put the bit in his mouth before taking the reigns into her hands. Pulling her large horse from his stall, she led him passed Aragorn who was preparing Brego for the journey.

Once they were outside, she tied him to a post were multiple other horses awaited for their riders to return. Hurrying up the front steps before the Golden Hall, the doors were left open so that people could easily move in and out of the building.

Weaving in and out of people, she reached her room and burst inside. Pulling the tunic over her head, she opened the drawers to the dresser in the room. At the bottom, her original travel clothing lay, prepared for whenever she would need them once more.

Bringing the light blue tunic over her head, she also pulled the trousers up around her waist and fastened them tightly. She slid her boots back onto her feet before reaching for her elven cloak. Fastening it around her neck, the leaf clip still gleamed in the sunlight streaming in through the windows. She reached up and touched it. Quwen had always been jealous of the elves. Always the masters of every trade that they tried.

Reaching for her weapons, she strapped the dagger around her thigh, she frowned as she had misplaced one of them. Where could it have gone off to?

She simply shrugged before strapping her sword around her waist, she also slung her bow over her shoulder before securing her quiver. Her short sword rested on her lower back. Dropping her hunting knife into her boot, she made sure it was secur in it's sheath. Yes, that was what she needed, to be stabbed in the foot by her own knife.

Once more heading outside, she walked briskly down the stairs to her horse. Aragorn quickly approached her with Brego in his wake. Legolas and Gimli also came forward on Arod, their brave and strong horse.

Gimli had told the tale many a time about how Éomer had met them on the plains only a few days before the Third Marshal had met her. She had already become acquainted with the silver gelding.

Éowyn pulled her horse up on the other side of Brego.

"Do you ride with us?" Aragorn asked her.

"Just to the encampment. It's tradition for the women of the court to farewell the men..." She continued to adjust her tack and Aragorn suddenly walked around his horse before lifting up the corner of her saddle blanket. Underneath, he revealed a sword that he been hidden away from sight.

The Lady simply tugged the blanket back down over the blade, hiding it once more.

"The men have found their captain. They will follow you into battle. Even to death. You have given us hope!" She told him and Quwen's jaw clenched as she listened to the Lady's words.

Biting her tongue, she made to not say a smart remark and instead she began to cheek Del's hooves for stones that would irritate him on the long ride to the camp.

No other words were exchanged between the two and she let the corners of her mouth lifted slightly at that. Aragorn must have turned away from her with a uneasy look upon his face.

Of course, she was trying to be kind to him using her words and even the Lady Ranger knew that he needed a lot of encouragement and praise.

Putting her foot into the saddle, she hoped once on the ground before swinging her leg over his back and sitting tall in the saddle. Del only nickered and continued to chew some of the grass he had been nibbling on.

Turning Del around, she urged Del to walk towards her elf and dwarf companion. Gimli was sitting rather rigid, still slightly uncomfortable around horses. However, she was sure Arod was just the right horse for the grumpy dwarf. The gelding was so gentle and if he was a nuisance, Legolas had somehow tamed the animal and taught him to behave.

"Horse men! I wish I could muster an army of Dwarves, fully armed and filthy!" He complained and Legolas only smiled slightly before his face became serious.

"I'm sure that would be a sight to see, a small one at that..." Quwen teased, causing the dwarf to bristle and he reared on her. She could only hold back a laugh at the furious look he was giving her.

"Your kinsmen may have no need to ride to war. I fear war already marches on their own lands..." Legolas dampened the mood and the Lady's smile faded at his remark. She knew that the North was already at war, for that was one of the reasons she had left. To escape the war and all the death it brought with it.

More riders joined the group and soon they horses became anxious. Del pawed playfully at the ground, wanting to break out and just run until he could no longer. The huddled into one giant mass before they began to slowly rotate around the King and Third Marshal. Quwen was just swept along as they continued to spin around in a circle.

At some point, Aragorn joined her on horseback and rode next to her in the mass of bodies. However, they slowed as the Third Marshal decided to speak.

"Now is the hour, Riders of Rohan! Oaths you have taken! Now fulfil them all, to Lord and Land! Hah!" Éomer shouted before spurring Firefoot forward. The smokey grey stallion raced to the head of the column, riding next to the King's horse, Snowmane.

They were both dressed in their finest armor and Quwen was confused as to why. Sure, it would make packing clothes easier but it would also make their horses tired the longer they traveled.

Joining the column of Rohirric soldiers, she rode amongst them, her large horse sticking out like a sore thumb, seeing as how he was speckled compared to the rest of the singular colored horses.

* * *

They pushed their horses hard the entire day, only stopping to rest when the came across a stream so the horses could drink. Yet after that, they did not rest again. They rode until nightfall and as they set up camp, most of the riders were yawning from exhaustion.

Quwen patted her horse's neck affectionately before she herself slid from the saddle. She cooed to him as she walked up to his face, a treat hidden behind her back. Muttering a few soft elvish words, she stroked his long face and he nickered.

Bringing the treat from behind her back, she took a large bite out of the apple. Hearing the crisp sound of biting into the fruit, Del's ears perked. His once half closed eyes widened excitedly. Reaching outwards with his lips, he tried getting the apple away from her. She couldn't help but laugh as she swatted at his nose, trying to defend the apple.

Reaching down to the dagger at her thigh, she withdrew it and sliced the apple into smaller pieces. Holding her hand out flat, Del greedily took the apple from her palm, almost biting her in the process.

She fed it to him piece by piece, until there was none left. He continued to smell at her open hands, trying to find another piece. However when he found none, he began to tug at her clothing, requesting more.

Quwen only laughed as she stoked his ears once more. Aragorn watched the whole exchange between the two, a slight smile on his face. Delgaranor was one of the largest horses he had seen and yet here he was, being so gentle and tender with a female.

It was quite comical really, to see him stand before her. Brego was already grazing on the graze below his feet and with one final pat on the rear, Aragorn pushed off the post and walked towards her.

She met him halfway however, pulling the stallion behind her. Tying him next to Brego, she unfastened the saddle from around him before pulling it from his back and placing it before him on the opposing side of the long post.

His saddle remained on so that he would not wander off in the night. Quwen snorted at that thought. He wouldn't even get very far if he did. He's not a very trusting horse and still wasn't used to the fact of others touching him unless it was Aragorn. He wasn't so hostile with Boromir anymore after he had to ride him when he was too weak to walk.

But that was when Quwen also had the reigns in her hands.

Stretching out her stiff back, she looked to Aragorn with tired hazel eyes. He only smirked at her slightly before she took a few slowly steps forward and rested her forehead against his chest, shutting her eyes.

He slowly wrapped his arms around her as he laid his cheek on top of her head. Sighging through his nose, he let his eyes slide closed, enjoying their warm embrace. A loud yawn escaped her throat without warning and he quietly laughed at her.

"We should get some rest. We have another long day of riding tomorrow..." He explained to her and she nodded, sleep clearly written in her eyes. This seemed to be a reoccurrence between them. Aragorn finding Quwen in a sleep ridden state.

"Yes, but I am hungry. I haven't had much to eat yet today..." She complained to him but he couldn't help but notice how his own stomach rumbled hungrily at the mention of food.

"Then we shall find you something to eat, my lady..." He held his arm out for her to take. She only raised a questioning eyebrow towards him before linking arms with her ranger companion.

Together they walked through the small village of tents before they came before a fire near the head of the camp. Éomer was sitting around the fire along with his sister who sent Quwen a pointed look when she arrived with Aragorn.

She couldn't help but smirk at the angry look on the woman's face and basked in the glory. She continued to hold onto Aragorn's arm as they approached a wagon that was distributing food to the hungry soldiers.

They were soon passed a warm bowl of stew and a few slices of bread. By luck, it was not Éowyn's stew that they were eating. For this had been served from a large barrel of soup that had been packed onto the wagon.

Sitting on the ground next to the fire, they dined on the hearty stew. No words were spoken as they ate, both of them were exhausted and just wanted to eat in silence.

The men around them told stories of old battles. Some of them spoke about the battle at Helm's Deep. Others told tales of their families or of the family that they wished to have.

They both just sat and listened, laughing the most when Gimli told tales of his cousins in the Mines of Moria.

However, everyone grew silent as the King emerged from his tent, his lips turned up in a smile. He must have been preparing plans for battle, for he walked straight over to Éomer and placed a hand on his shoulder.

The Third Marshal nodded and rose, leaving his bowl and food behind. Walking towards the King's tent, he opened the flaps before walking inside. Théoden's eyes searched the camp and found the Lady of the North seated by her dark haired companion.

Walking towards her, he noticed her bowl of stew was almost gone and she hadn't seemed to have noticed him walking towards her yet.

"Lady Quwen?" He called to her at the exact moment she spooned the steaming liquid into her mouth. Her head rose and she regarded him with careful eyes, remembering that he was indeed a King and not another soldier.

"Yes?" She replied after swallowing.

"I have made sleeping arrangement for you..." He began and watched as she took another spoonful into her mouth. "...in my niece's tent!" Unexpectedly, she choked on her stew and it sprayed from her mouth.

She tried coughing to cover up the scowl on her face and she placed a hand over her heart as she tried to regulate her breathing.

"Are you alright?" He eyed her closely, wondering what the problem was.

"I'm fine, my lord. Just a strong bit of spice there!" She insisted as she continued to cough. He only smiled and nodded. His suspicions were incorrect. She was not hostile to his niece. She only had too much spice in her soup.

"Very well then! That is your tent over there!" He pointed over at one of the larger tents and Quwen rolled her eyes. Of course she would have such a huge and elegant tent. The King disappeared back into his tent, leaving the men to begin talking once more.

It was not long that the Lady of the North remained seated by the fire. She had continued to sit beside Aragorn, their bodies pressed together to keep have warmth that the fire could not provide.

However, when she began to yawn ever so often, Aragorn ordered her to bed. With a heavy heart, she squeezed his hand which in turn he squeezed hers back, as if telling her that he would be fine so that she may rest peacefully.

"_Goodnight, Aragorn_..." She bid him goodnight in elvish, a slight smile on her face.

"_Rest peacefully, my lady_..." He whispered right back to her and she wove in and out of the men around the fire, making her way to the aforementioned tent. His blue eyes watched her go as she disappeared between the flaps.

Upon entering the tent, Quwen noted that there was two cots set up. One already seemed to be occupied by some fine clothing which must have belonged to Éowyn. Going to stand before the other cot, she untied the leather belt from around her waist. Wrapping it around the scabbard, she leaned it against the side of her bed.

Kicking off her boots, she basically collapsed onto the bed. Her hazel eyes immediately grew heavy and soon shut on their own accord.

* * *

A sweet noise filled her ears. She lay back with her eyes closed in content. The beautiful noise continued to linger in her ears and she felt her lips turn up in a smile. Listening harder, she could hear the faint laughter in the distance.

It was a sweet noise that rang clear like a bell. It sounded so soft and pure, innocent.

It suddenly came closer and the soft pounding of feet could be heard on the forest floor. It passed her, the laughter ceasing for a moment until the footsteps once more became distant.

Quwen let her eyes open, the soft light drifting down from the trees like some sort of snow. The bark surrounding her was white and smooth. Everything seemed to be surreal and soft.

Slowly sitting up, her long hair swished and came to rest against her back, its length so much longer than when she started on the journey all those months ago. The soft fabric of her dress rested easily on her skin, weighing next to nothing.

It was silvery color and she placed her bare feet on the forest floor, the grass becoming flattened beneath her toes.

Her head turned to the right as the laughter came once again. Something moved in her side vision but when she turned to look, it was gone. Hicking up her dress, she followed in the direction after the movement, curious as to what it was.

"My darling..." She heard someone whisper but when she turned to look where the voice came from, no one was there. "My sweet..." It came again and she turned her head in the opposing direction.

"Aragorn?" She whispered and walked around a silver tree, her fingers brushing against the trunk. Coming around the corner, a wide smile lit her face at the sight of him standing on a terrace, overlooking some great elven city.

However, the smile faded when she noticed he was not alone. A beautiful dark haired woman was next to him. Their hands were joined together as they stared out over what Quwen guessed to be Rivendell. She had never seen this part of the city.

She was just about to call out to him and question what he was doing when a small child suddenly pushed passed her. He lightly shoved away her legs, sending her off balance form to grasp onto a tree for support.

Watching the child run across the forest floor into the terrace, both of the adults turned around. Quwen then frowned in realization as she realized that this was the woman who had helped them when they were traveling from Bree to Rivendell.

She was Lady Arwen.

Quwen had only laid eyes upon her once but that was enough. She was indeed one of the most beautiful and elegant creatures she had ever seen. Curse the elves. Curse their immortal beauty. Curse their impossible talents. Curse their archery skills.

She just about laughed at the last part. The Lady was still bitter about the archery on horseback.

Bending down, Aragorn happily accepted the child into his arms with a wide grin. She noticed that his hair had more of a silver tone to it and when the child turned to face her, she all but gasped.

A young Aragorn looked back at her, his childish eyes a stoney blue that could only be the same as his father's. His hair tumbled around his shoulders in dark, rich locks.

Realization hit her like a kick to the gut. This was their child. There never had been a Quwen. This was the child of the Heir of Isildur and the lovely elf maiden, next in line to the throne of Gondor when his father would pass. However, there was something that she noticed.

When the boy smiled, his nose wrinkled up in laughter. No, it was not an elvish trait. The elves only laughed daintily, hardly letting any noise escaped their throat. The soft, bell like noise reached her ears once more as his nose wrinkled again.

Slowly reaching a hand up, Quwen touched her nose slightly. That was one of her traits. She had been told many a time when she was younger how her small nose would wrinkle as she let out a merry laugh.

Realization dawned on her once more, this time her heart warming at the sight. This child before her, this child was her own. The dark hair and eyes belonged to his father while his small nose and laughter sounded more of her own.

She smiled a teary smile at the sight. Aragorn and her child. Yet, where was she?

The couple had yet to see the Lady standing among the trees, watching their exchange with the boy. "Aragorn?" She called out to him but he did not seem to hear her. Instead, it appeared as though the boy was the one that had heard and stared at her with his eyes. Aragorn's eyes.

Slowly making her way over to them, she stepped quietly through the grass until she stood directly before them. Neither of them noticed her, as if she were a ghost that was simply watching over them.

The child's eyes remained on her form.

"Father?" The child spoke suddenly, startling the Lady of the North.

"Hmm?" He answered his child with a soft hum.

"What was she like?" He asked as he played with the small charm that hung from Aragorn's neck. He grasped it in his tiny fingers, the sapphires glinting in the soft sunlight. Aragorn then sighed, his eyes becoming distant.

"She was as radiant as the sun, fiery just like it as well. Her hair was spun of golden silk... Breathtaking, she was. So passionate when it came to her family, her friends. One of the most incredible swordswomen I have ever seen. Her eyes were hypnotic, like looking deep into the trees of a forest, the leaves and bark melding together into one perfect color that were her eyes..." Aragorn said and his eyes suddenly drifted over the edge of the terrace.

The boy had looked at her the whole time Aragorn had been talking, as if accessing his father's words.

Quwen's eyes also drifted to the side but she could not see what they were gazing down at. Taking a few more cautious steps forward, she peered over the edge and her eyes immediately began to water.

The woman lying on the stone was beautiful, flawless. Her marble cheeks were perfectly curved, her lips resting in a soft line as she looked to be asleep. Her long hair was smoothed around her face, lying perfect as the sculptor had made it.

She was sculpted in a simple gown and atop her head sat a beautiful circlet that rested easily on her once golden hair. Her hands clutched tightly to a long sword, the end of the hilt in the shape of a lion head.

The heavy stone sat upon an intricately carved tomb and Quwen swallowed, knowing that a body lay at rest beneath it.

Roses and vines were carved, twisting together around the whole box. Horses ran rampant on a lush field of grass, one particular horse standing out from the rest. His coat was speckled in the sunlight as he galloped over the Rohan plains with his brethren.

She nearly sobbed and placed a hand over her mouth to cover the noise. Her own tomb. She was looking down over it.

Turning away, the child was once again watching her, his hand tightly gripping the collar of his father's soft tunic. He smiled slightly, his eyes twinkling as her own did and she smiled back at him.

Her son. He was so perfect.

"She loved you. She loved you so, so very much..." Aragorn kissed the top of his child's dark hair, his lips lingering there for a moment as he thought about his deceased wife.

"And I loved her so very much..." He whispered into his son's thick hair, barely holding back tears as he cradled the only part he had of her in his arms.

Just then, there was a loud squeal and before Quwen knew what was happening, orcs ran from the trees. Aragorn dropped the child, sending him to stand behind Arwen.

"RUN!" He told them as the orcs came closer, his heart rate picking up. They fled, the elf scooping the boy up into her arms.

Quwen watched in disbelief as the orcs came at Aragorn. He was able to take down a few, yet he was without weapons. Snapping a few of their necks, he was able to disarm one of them and claim their blade when suddenly he stopped fighting.

Scarlet liquid dribbled from his mouth and his blue eyes widened. The orc behind him sneered with triumph as he kicked Aragorn off his blade. The once great King tumbled down to the ground, Quwen dropping to her knees at the side.

The orcs did not seem to notice that she was their either, for in this reality, she was dead and merely a ghost. Reaching out, she grasped Aragorn tightly, pulling him to her chest.

She did not pass through him like she suspected and when she made contact, his stoney blue eyes directly floated up toward her own.

"Breeze...?" He breathed, completely shocked that she was there in that moment. She could only bit her lip and nod, feeling his life slowly trickling away through her fingers.

"How are you...?"

"Don't try to speak!" She whispered back, her fingers gently stroking the stubble on his cheek. Tears began to form in her soft hazel eyes and Aragorn found himself getting lost in them like he alway used to do.

"Have you come to take me with you?" He asked her, despite her request for him to be quiet. She blinked a few times in confusion. He thought that she was dead?

"I am not dead, Aragorn..." She whispered, the tears dripping down her cheeks. Confusion was now in his eyes. Suddenly, someone screamed and Quwen watched as the fair elf maiden fell. The child looked terrified as he ran from the dirty and disgusting orcs.

Aragorn tried to sit up as the boy raced toward the couple.

"Father!" The little boy cried as he knelt down next to her and he looked up at her with tear stained eyes. He rested his hand on her own which was clutching Aragorn's.

"Can you take care of him?" He begged and the orcs drew closer. Quwen only swallowed, knowing she was defenseless and Aragorn was barely clinging to life. She slowly shook her head.

The footsteps crew closer. Aragorn nodded as if signaling that they were here. Trapping her son between her and Aragorn, she heard the orcs snarl loudly. Shutting her eyes, she clutched the child tightly to her chest, her face buried in Aragorn's tunic.

Waiting for a blade to pierce her skin, when it didn't come she reopened her eyes. She found herself sitting up in bed, sweat and tears making her skin damp. Éowyn was also sitting up on her cot.

Her green eyes were focused on the woman across from her. Quwen's hair clung to her face and her body shook slightly. Looking down at her hand, she found her knuckles white as she gripped tightly to the knife from her boot.

She looked back at the White Lady who clutched desperately to her blanket. Her chest heaved up and down and she tossed the knife back onto the floor. Letting her head fall into her hands, she whipped the tears and sweat from her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" Éowyn asked, catching Quwen off guard. The woman looked up at the younger girl. She didn't answer and went back to her wondering. What was her dream about? That's what it was, wasn't it? Only a dream?

She hopped it was. She hopped that it wasn't real life, or rather the future.

Quwen nearly jumped from her own skin when a warm hand was placed on her shoulder. Her hazel eyes burst open and she immediately flinched back. Éowyn only kept her hand on her shoulder.

"Why did you start screaming?" She asked once more and Quwen barely raised her eyes to look at her.

"Just a... terrible, terrible dream..." Quwen muttered as she rubbed her eyes. Looking up at the woman now sitting on her bed.

"What kind of a dream?" Éowyn continued to prod. Quwen slowly stood up and walked over to her weapons. Picking up her sword and strapping it on, she was about to make for the tent doors when she stopped and turned around.

"I dreamt of my child..." She whispered before she pushed open the flaps of the tent and strode out into the night air. Quwen would not let her see her cry. The White Lady had just tried to comfort her. She did not like it at all.

The harsh feelings for the King's niece had come jumping to the surface the moment she touched her. Quwen loathed Éowyn and she was quiet sure that it was the same for Éowyn.

Quwen had Aragorn. The one thing that the White Lady didn't have.

Yet she had tried to comfort the maiden in distress. Why had she done it though? Why had she tried to help Quwen when she was in such a weakened and vulnerable state?

Leaving those emotions behind, the ranger tried to reason with herself. She must have been asleep for a few hours, she felt more rested and exhaustion didn't want to claim her every moment she shut her eyes.

Finding the only sort of comfort she knew at the moment, she went in search of Del. She found him tied to the post where she had left him before, surprised that he had yet to wonder off.

He had laid down and his head was rested on the soft grass. When he heard her approach, he raised his head and sat up when his rider came along. She sat down and laid against his back.

His body gave off a lot of heat and she took comfort in all the warmth he offered.

At the opportune moment, Éomer walked past in a pair of soft trousers and tunic. He didn't notice her at first, in fact, she noticed him first. She remained silent as he walked passed and she thought he wouldn't notice her.

However, he suddenly froze and turned around and looking at her boot.

"I did not know horses wore boots..." He teased and she weakly smiled back. He seemed to notice her dampened mood and he dropped down right beside her. Del nickered slightly and shifted just a bit, unsure about the Third Marshal being present.

"Well, this horse does..." She replied back weakly. Éomer only snorted as he settled himself beside her.

"Why are you up this late at night?"

"Nightmare..." She whispered weakly, her voice cracking. He wrapped an arm around her, offering comfort.

"Do you wish to tell me about it?" She paused momentarily, her hands shaking as she raked them through her long, golden hair. Éomer couldn't help but notice that it was similar in length compared to his sisters but Quwen's appeared to be thicker and a few shades darker.

Hazel clashed against hazel. She knew that she could trust him from the moment she met him in the wilderness, so why was it any different now?

"I..." She swallowed thickly, thinking about the warm child that had been wrapped in her arms before she had woken up. She could remember the smell on Aragorn's tunic as she buried her face in his clothes. She had to tell someone about it and Aragorn wasn't that person. "I... I think I will..."

Feeling as though the conversation was about to take a very serious turn, Éomer reached out and placed his large hand over the both of hers. She gratefully took them into her palms, holding tight to her friend.

Friends were the only thing she had left anymore. They were her new family. And she had learned to trust them.

* * *

**18 reviews! Holy crap!**

**This has to be a new record for me! 18 review for three chapters! I love you guys so much!**

**I also find it quite funny that she is terrible at archery. Curse the elves for being so amazing at everything! Thought that part was pretty funny. Quwen's still a bit sour about that. **

**I'm rambling.**

**Anyway, keep reading and reviewing! Don't expect an update in the next couple days considering that I've got school and sports to attend to!**

**Allons-y!**

**Love, **

**Blue**


	5. Chapter 5

**Third Person's POV**

From a distance, Aragorn could tell that something was wrong with the Lady mounted atop her speckled horse. Her shoulders were slumped, her eyes were wary.

She only glanced in his direction a few times before she would face forward once more, continuously riding beside Éomer throughout the day. When they stopped to rest, Aragorn regarded Legolas's insight.

Their elf friend also agreed that something had stired in the air around her.

"I will speak with her..." Aragorn insisted as the three of them were on resting near the small stream, eating a bit of leftover lembas that Legolas had been carrying. Gimli also found the news troublesome. Quwen hadn't even greeted him this morning as she always had before. The ranger rose to leave when an arm was placed on his shoulder.

"I think it best if you don't. I have this odd feeling that it happens to be concerning you..." Legolas told him before walking away after a moment of hesitation. The remaining two members sat and watched as the elf approached the blonde woman.

She had also been eating quietly, a small clump of brown bread in her hands. Her eyes stared blankly at the ground as she thought about what had occurred the night before. The nightmare from before.

The future that she wished would not come true.

She about jumped from her skin when a hand squeezed her shoulder. Looking up into the bright blue eyes of her elf companion, she could not find it in herself to smile at him. He was watching her ever so closely with those sharp, elven eyes. Calculating what was wrong.

"Do you require my assistance, Legolas?" She asked him quietly and his lips turned down for a moment at the emptiness of her voice. He sat down on the boulder beside her.

"Something is wrong..." He stated slowly.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken, everything is completely fine..." She retorted as she placed another bit of bread into her mouth.

"Quwen, even a blind man could tell that you are lying. You aren't hiding anything from Aragorn..." He told her and watched as she tensed at the mention of the dark haired Ranger.

"Why is everyone so concerned with my well being as of late?" She suddenly snapped, her hazel eyes flashing dangerously. Her eyes peered over his shoulder to see Gimli and Aragorn watching from their own perch.

Looking back to Legolas, she narrowed her eyes at the elf.

"We are only trying to help you, Quwen..."

"Did you ever consider that I did not require your help?" She snapped again, her fist clenching around the bread.

"I have tried to help you in the past but you do not listen... Are you only acting this way because you are trying to run away from your feelings?" Her eyes widened in shock as she realized that he had struck dead on.

"My feelings for Aragorn are wrong... He is to be King of Gondor and I am nothing! Royal blood does not flow through my veins and that why I must never even dream of a relationship with him!" She growled back harshly, making sure to keep her voice low so that they would not hear her.

"I am sure that does not matter to Aragorn! He loves you for what you are and not what is required of your blood..." He stated quietly, knowing his words would have some effect on her.

"He does not need me..." She tried to retort but Legolas only shook his head.

"But you need him..." Legolas fired right back. Quwen's mouth opened to say something back but no sound came out. He was right. When Aragorn's false death had left her in a world of emptiness, Quwen was worth nothing. The world no longer had mattered to her without Aragorn in it.

"And what if I reject those feelings?" She whispered, her voice shaking slightly.

"Then only unhappiness will await you..." He answered and for the first time, she met his eyes evenly. Her own pair sparkled with tears and a few of them fell, only for Legolas to pull her into his chest.

He wasn't always keen on comforting others but Quwen had shown to be one of the compassionate and trustworthy mortal beings of her time.

"And... what if I except them?" She croaked, waiting for an answer.

"You will not know until you try, _my friend_..." He whispered into her hair, a small smile on his lips. The way he had played his words, it sounded so tempting to her. He must have known that her curiosity would get the best of her eventually, seeing how she was a Ranger and they were one of the most curious of beings.

He released her, the tears gone from her cheeks as they had dried on his armored tunic that covered his chest. Stepping back, Legolas glanced back over Aragorn before leaving the Lady to stand alone.

Her thoughts were muddled together as she looked at Isildur's heir. Should she admit her feelings right now? Or would it be more wise for her to wait until a more oppurtune time?

She must tell him.

Just as she was about to walk over and approach Aragorn and Gimli, a horn sounded. That was the signal for the riders to mount their steeds and prepare to ride once more. Her eyes appeared to shine like they had before. Aragorn wondered what the elf had told her to make her smile so. He would have to question Legolas later.

A small smile lit her face but she had to turn away to climb upon Del once again.

Looking through the sea of horses, her own animal seemed to have disappeared in the swarm. Frowning slightly, her eyebrows pulled together as she looked for him. Raising her fingers to her mouth, a shrill noise escaped between her lips and all the horses around her whinnied.

Adjusting her tongue in her mouth, she lowered the tone so that Del would recognize the sound.

Spotting a familiar colored coat, she jumped up to see so that she was certain it was Del. Swiftingly making her way between the other horses, she reached him and frowned. He had a clump of carrots dangling from his mouth. They swung back and forth as he chewed on their leafy ends.

"Where could you have gotten carrots?" She asked him, even though she knew he would not answer. She lovingly stroked his ears when suddenly there was yelling. Looking up, another man approached on his own horse. He looked rather infuriated as he approached the female rider, glaring daggers at the steed before her.

"Is there something I can help you with, good sir?" She asked politely as she eyed Del cautiously.

"Yes! Your horse seems to be in possession of my carrots!" The soldier growled and Quwen blushed. Del seemed to be causing problems without her help. Yanking the remaining clump from his mouth, she wiped the saliva off the orange vegetables.

"I do apologize... You see, he is not a very obedient animal! It shouldn't happen again..." She handed him the group of carrots before he grimaced yet accepted them anyway. With one last grumble under his breath, he trotted away to form ranks behind the King's company.

"What will I do with a thieving horse?" She asked yet chuckled as she watched the man continue to move away with his back to her. Del only nickered deeply before blowing his warm breath on her face.

"Oh, Delgaranor... I love you..." She whispered into his large ear as she stroked the side of his long face. A thought suddenly struck her, a revelation if one would call it that.

Quwen wasn't just the only being to be able to ride the fiery stallion. Del was exactly like she was. A living embodiment of the fire that raged inside every soul that fought for the sake of Middle Earth.

She was the only one to ride him because they were only a mirror of each other.

The horn suddenly blew again and she realized that people around her were beginning to move in one direction. Quickly pushing her thoughts aside, she stepped into the stirrup and sat down.

Legolas rode past her with Gimli perched behind him on Arod. Aragorn also rode past her and she kicked Del to catch up to her elf and dwarf companion. As she recalled, she had yet to wish Gimli a good morning yet.

"Good morning, Gimli!" She called as she rode up between Arod and Brego. The two horses were slightly startled when the stallion pushed his way in between them. Del merely bobbed his head before shaking out his mane.

Gimli looked at her with surprise before he opened up his mouth and a loud laugh escaped. "Good morning, lass!" He said back rather cheerfully, as he did every morning.

Legolas exchanged a knowing look with her before his blue eyes darted over to Aragorn who was riding next to her, his head inclined with curiosity. She only turned and looked to him before smiling lightly and nodding in respect.

It was not exactly the exchange Legolas had hoped for but he guessed that it was something, even after the dim mood she had been in only a few short minutes ago.

Aragorn only nodded back, a wider smile on his face than her own had been. She seemed to be in a better mood after the small talk she had with Legolas. From her other side, Gimli suddenly growled out of discomfort.

"Another day of riding! I swear, any longer and my backside will blister!" He complained out loud. She only snorted while she grasped Del's reigns tightly.

"Then I guess that means we must get there quickly!" She called to Gimli before spurring Del in the sides, making him go faster as the horse ahead of them had done. She laughed out loud as the wind wiped her hair around her face.

Looking back through the shroud of golden hair, she saw Gimli swearing loudly as the two others urged their horses to catch up, the dwarf almost falling of the back of the silver gelding in the process.

* * *

The third day passed much like the first and second days. For the most part, it was very uneventful.

Quwen was relieved to find that when she slept, no other nightmares came to haunt her. The childish laughter could no longer be heard in her ears and for that, she was grateful.

She had gained much sleep that night and when she had awoken, she felt refreshed. Éowyn did not question her about her screaming the night before. She could only guess that Éomer had told her to not bother the Lady of the North any longer.

As they rode into the large camp, Gimli let out a loud sigh. For the last few hours, the dwarf had continued to swear and complain about how sore his backside would be once they arrived.

Sliding off the back of Arod, Quwen laughed at the look on the dwarf's face. It was rather comical that he showed so much discomfort in riding horses. Of course, dwarves never really rode horses for such long amounts of time.

Plus, she figured that the ponies they normally rode were thinner and weren't as wide as regular horses were. Meaning their legs wouldn't be so sore from such long rides.

But just being in a saddle for hours on end could cause a sore bottom, so those thoughts beforehand were just meaningless.

Théoden led them through the camp, his soldiers calling out to him and he returned the favor. Quwen rode beside her friends once more, earning some looks from the men all around her. What importance was she of if she was allowed to ride with the King?

Of course, the King's niece also rode with them. Most of the men easily recognized her face and sent respectful nods her way. Not an ounce of jealousy entered Quwen's bones. For she had often been accustomed to just hiding in the great shadows of others instead of stepping up into the light.

She did not like to be the center of attention. That was why she was a Ranger. Their whole lives, all they did was lurk in the shadows and only step into the sun when the time called for them to do so.

"Make way for the King! Make way, the King is here!" One cried soldier cried. Théoden raised his hand and waved to his faithful men, a small smile on his lips.

"Grimbold, how many?" He called to one soldier.

"I bring 500 men from the Westfold, my lord!" Grimbold replied, a frown then tugging at the King's lips.

"We have 300 more from Fenmarch, Théoden King!" The King nodded in the direction of the voice, as if accepting the answer.

"Where are the riders from Snowbourn?"

"None have come my lord..." The King frowned once more, causing worry to grow in Quwen's heart. Now, she was not a general but even she knew that numbers counted in a battle and so far, hardly any horsemen seemed to have come to the aid of their King.

Seeming to be distract, Aragorn reached out and grasped Quwen's hand for a moment, giving her a squeeze to bring her back into the present moment. She seemed to have fallen behind as she was deep in thought.

Théoden and Éomer led them up the steep cliffs of the encampment until they reached another set of emaculate tents.

The six horses and their riders arrived at a large paddock constructed off a few boards that had been gathered together from old wagons. Dropping a few of the boards, they rode their horses inside.

Dismounting off Del, they all set to work clearing the tack off their horses. Of course, the King and Third Marshal left their horses to be tended to later and the others were not given the same blessing.

Quwen rather enjoyed taking care of her own horse. It relaxed her because it was one fixed point in her life. Saddling a horse would never change like the rest of the world around them.

Slinging her saddle bags over her shoulder, she placed her saddle on her hip. She also took the bit and bridle from Del's mouth and slung it around her neck. She did not strain under the weight, for her muscles had grown accustomed to it many years beforehand.

A few Rohirric soldiers stepped forward and claimed their tack from them. Quwen was reluctant to let them take her beloved saddle, yet she complied after earning a pleading look from Aragrorn.

After finishing, Aragorn excused himself to go speak with the King. Quwen watched quietly as Théoden and Aragorn walked off to look out over the camp. She could hear them murmuring quietly as they spoke and she wished to be at his side, providing insight to her friend.

Hearing a groan, she looked over to find Gimli beside Legolas who was only smirking at the dwarf's pain.

"And how are you feeling now, Gimli?"

"Keep yer mouth shut, lass..." Gimli growled as he rubbed his sore behind. She could only smile at that. Hearing a loud whinny from behind them, the trio watched as a large brown horse reared up, his rider struggling to keep him under control.

Éomer also watched the exchange take place before he joined his friends.

"The horses are nervous. The men are quiet..." Legolas observed as his sharp eyes gazed around the camp. It was true, Quwen had noticed it as well. Even Del seemed to be a bit skittish and that was very much unlike himself.

"They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain..." Éomer explained and he nodded towards a crack in the faced of the mountain. Quwen's hazel eyes gazed at the space between the stones. For a moment, she thought that her eyes were deceiving her.

It appeared that a bit of green smog floated from the depths of the shadows, reaching out towards her, whispering her name. "_Quwen_..." Her eyes widened in shock and she couldn't take her eyes off the approaching figure.

"_Quwen_..." The ghostly being reached out towards her, the green hand almost touching her cheek.

"Quwen!" There was a hand shaking her shoulder. She let out a gasp and shut her eyes momentarily. When she reopened them, the ghostly figure was gone and all that remained was the dark pathway.

She looked to the person who was shaking her. Éomer's own hazel eyes scanned over her face, concern clouding them only the slightest.

"Are you alright?" He asked her, sensing how she was shaken.

"Yeah... I just... I just thought I saw something..."

"What did you see?" He asked her.

"That road? Where does it lead?" Quwen asked, pushing the question aside so that she would not have to answer. For she did not truly know the answer. What had she seen?

"It is the road to the Dimholt, the door under the mountain..." Legolas answered, his eyes on the shadowed road before them.

"None who venture there ever return. That mountain is evil..." Éomer's tone was grim as he gazed upon the road into the mountain. It continued to give Quwen an eerie feeling. She now understood why Del had been so skittish. It was doing the same thing to her.

A short distance away, Quwen noticed Aragorn also staring intently at the crack in the wall.

"Aragorn?" She called out to him. He did not even spare her a glance, his face only morphed into a look of fear. She slowly approached him. "Aragorn?" She called to him again.

"Aragorn?" Gimli pushed past her and shook his shoulder slightly. He seemed to snap out of his gaze before looking at the both of them, fear still in his eyes. "Let's find some food..." Gimli grumbled before walking off, Quwen following quietly behind him.

* * *

After finding some food, Aragorn retired early for the night.

Quwen had stayed out later than usually, feeling better from the long night of rest she had the day beforehand. Taking a seat next to the Third Marshal, she blew on the hot stew that sat in her hands.

She could hear Merry and Éowyn inside her tent, the White Lady preparing the small hobbit for the battle ahead. She could hear laughter coming from inside and it was a nice change for once. Hardly anyone laughed anymore.

Suddenly, the two burst forth from the tent, Merry swinging his short sword around with practice skill that he had learned from Boromir.

"To the smithy, go!" Éowyn encouraged the hobbit who gleefully trotted off to get his blade sharpened.

"You should not encourage him..." Her brother warned as he spooned his own soup into his mouth. Glancing at Éowyn, she sent her older brother a pointed look before her face softened slightly.

"You should not doubt him!" She scolded as she placed her hands on her hips.

"I do not doubt his heart. Only the reach of his arm..." Éomer murmured before taking a bite of bread. Even Quwen had to stop eating and look at the Third Marshal. Seeing as how few of numbers they had already, they couldn't really spare to leave anyone behind.

"Why should Merry be left behind? He has as much cause to go to war as you. Why can he not fight for those he loves?" Quwen caught the double meaning in the Lady's words. She wished to fight in the war so that she could protect her people as well. To protect her brother and uncle.

She meant to leave when Éomer suddenly rose and placed his hand on his sister's shoulder.

"You know as little of war as that Hobbit. When the fear takes him and the blood and the screams and the horror of battle take hold. Do you think he would stand and fight? He would flee. And he would be right to do so. War is the province of men Éowyn..." He scolded. With tears in her eyes, she fled and Quwen watched her go, anger boiling in the pit of her stomach.

Once the Third Marshal took his seat once more, Quwen could all but wait one moment before swinging her fist out and punching him in the arm. The horselord reeled back in pain and he grasped his arm.

"Ow!" He complained as he rubbed the tender spot. Quwen could only glare at him.

"War is the province of _men_? That's all you have to say?!" Her voice rose in volume and she did not care if she woke any of the others. He didn't answer her but he did look weary.

"Then what do you make of me? I have lived _85_ years. Considerably _long_, years at that. I have learned much from men. How to walk, talk, behave, weapons, I have even learned to drink like a man and not once have you taken into consideration that I have learned of war like a man? Everyone in my village was massacred when I was only a child. That is what set me on this path... This path filled with war and death!" She took a deep breath before she continued, her tone quieter than the first time.

"Courage and bravery do not have a gender, my lord!" She snapped raising the brim of the bowl up to her mouth, dumped in the remaining steaming liquid. She ignored the burning sensation as it traveled down her throat, only wincing twice before she slammed her bowl back down on her seat and strode away from them.

Éomer only blinked a few times from the surprise. It had all happened so quickly that he had yet to take it all in. He looked over at her place where her bowl remained. He could still see steam rising from the wood were the hot soup had lain only moments ago.

* * *

Quwen stormed off through the village of tents, only to come to find herself at the very edge of the cliff. She overlooked the entire encampment. Fires burned below her yet she couldn't hear any of the men talking because of the distance.

She was about to sit herself down on a fallen tree when movement caught her eye. Placing her hand on the hilt of her blade, she peered over the edge of the cliff.

Two horses slowly made their way up the winding path to the upper cliffs. She watched with curiosity and wondered who lay beneath the dark cloaks as they approached. When they reached the top, it was no use hiding as she stood almost waiting for them to arrive.

"Lady Quwen..." Her eyes flashed up to the hooded figure, wondering who was beneath the hood. She tried to make out the face but it was too shrouded in shadow to see them. For a moment, she worried that they had been part of the Black Riders but was relieved to find that both their horses were a beautiful silver color.

"Do I know you?" She asked after a moment of hesitation. If this was someone of higher blood than her own, she could be deemed as rude and she didn't want to be seen as a rude woman.

"Well I would hope so..." Both of them pushed back their hoods. Quwen felt her mouth fall open but a kick to the gut followed soon after. Two of the most beautiful beings sat before her, atop their powerful steeds.

"L-Lord Elrond?" She pulled his name from her memories of Rivendell. He only nodded grimly, his face seeming to glow in the moonlight. Turning to the other rider, she about sobbed.

"...And Lady Arwen!" Quwen bowed her head slightly, remembering her place. Elrond was a king after all and she had just been very rude, unlike how she had wanted to be seen.

The pale beauty looked down upon her. Her dark hair matched her father's and a small smile was on her lips.

"Lady of the North...? You look nothing like a northern beauty..." Arwen said, her voice very breathy but it was still beautiful. Even if it was an insult.

"My mother was from Rohan so forgive me for changing the face of Northern women..." Quwen said right back, her tone icy cold yet it was still calm. Arwen only offered a smug smile as she looked to her father.

"What has brought you this far, my lord?" She asked him, bowing her head slightly once more.

"We have come to speak with Aragorn, if you will..." He said and she nodded, casting a rather sour look Arwen's way. The Lady Ranger already had enough trouble with trying to keep Aragorn from Éowyn, now she would have to deal with a beautiful elf.

She couldn't compete with an elf.

With as much grace as she could muster, Quwen led them through the tents until she stood before Théoden's tent. She could see the King's outline moving inside as he went over battle strategy.

"My lord?" She called quietly before falling silent once more. There was a moment were it was silent before the King of Rohan himself opened the tent flaps and stuck his head outside.

"Yes, Lady Quwen?"

"We have visitors from distant lands..." She turned, gesturing her hands towards the two elven visitors. Realizing who it was, Théoden bowed his head slightly as did the other two, showing their respect.

"I will retrieve Aragorn..." Quwen said before turning and walking away from them. The tension in the air lessened some. Being around the elven beauty was difficult. Quwen had tried to keep herself as poise and skinny as possible whenever she was around Arwen.

She was just too perfect and Quwen realized she was jealous.

Her feet had carried her to stand before Aragorn's tent. Her hand reached out to touch the white fabric. These would be the first words she had spoken to him in the last two days. She was just about to call out his name when she heard a noise come from inside.

Putting her ear closer to the fabric, she listened. Someone cried out in distress inside. It had sounded like Aragorn. She was just about to pull the tent flaps back when something else could be heard.

"Quwen..." He whimpered and she opened the flap to peer inside. His eyebrows were drawn together in worry and he was sweating. He tossed and turned on his bed as if he could not find comfort in the soft cot beneath him.

"Breeze... No! Don't leave!" He pleaded as he slept, the golden haired female only stood and watched in horror. He was dream about her, or rather as it appeared, a nightmare.

"Aragorn?" She called to him but did not stir. Quickly walking over to him, she placed a hand on his wrinkled forehead. His eyes burst open and Quwen reacted just in time as his arm raised to strike her, a blade in his hand. She simply gripped his forearm tightly in her own hand.

She noticed his other hand had reached up to grasp her lion pendant. As if realizing that he was in no danger, Aragorn relaxed before dropping back onto his bed in exhaustion. However, his stoney blue eyes fluttered over her form, wondering what she was doing there.

"You have visitors..." She told him quietly before standing. Yet when she moved to leave, a hand gripped her wrist. In an instant, Aragorn was up from his bed. Without warning, his lips pressed against her own. There was a sense of hunger and urgency lying beneath his actions, causing Quwen to grow nervous.

His lips claimed hers repeated, his hands moving to work up into her long hair. Quwen's fingers gently stoked his chin, his beard tickling her fingers. Both of them broke apart, rather breathless from the sudden kisses. Quwen quelled the nervous knot in her stomach before clearing her throat.

"The King wishes to see you..." She murmured before exiting the tent, her stomach swirling painfully. It was only a moment before Aragorn joined her outside in the cool night air. He cleared his throat before evenly meeting her gaze. A strong look of desire filled his blue irises as he gazed down at her.

Quwen was the one to break their gaze. Moving forward without a word, they had their way to the King's tent. Pulling back the flaps, both Rangers stepped inside. Aragorn immediately noticed the two hooded figures who stood in the tent.

He also noticed how Breeze seemed to tense by his side.

"I shall take my leave..." Théoden King cast a wary glance at the two visitors before brushing by Quwen and exiting the tent. Aragorn watched with interest as the figures turned, his face paling as he recognized the two elves.

"Lord Elrond! Lady Arwen!" Aragorn bowed his head, surprised to see that the elf maiden had made such a far journey.

"I come on behalf of those who I love. My people are dying, Aragorn. They will not long survive the evil that now spreads from Mordor. As Sauron's power grows, their strength wanes. Their life is now tied to the fate of the Ring... The Shadow is upon us Aragorn... The end has come!" Elrond warned the Heir of Isildur, every word he was speaking continued to make the female's guilt grow inside her.

"It will not be our end, but his!" Aragorn declared back, casting a short glance at Quwen.

"You ride to war but not to victory! Sauron's armies ride on Minas Tirith, this you know. But in secret he sends another force, which will attack, from the river. A fleet of Corsair ships sails from the South... They will be in the city in two days. You're outnumbered Aragorn! You need more men..." Elrond stated, pacing about the tent a bit.

"There are none..." Quwen said quietly, drawing the other three's attention to her. Her cheeks reddened slightly, two of the three gazes were softer and full of understanding. The third however, was quite venemous.

"I do not understand why she is to be present...!" Arwen began to protest.

"I will leave. It was wrong in my place to be here..." Quwen bowed her head before moving to leave. However, Aragorn's hand reached out and snagged her wrist in his hold.

"She is in my council and I wish her to be present!" He said in a stronger voice. A more kingly voice. It took all three of the others in the tent by surprise. His tone had just held so much authority. He was to be the true King of Gondor.

"Returning to the issue of soldiers..."

"As Lady Quwen stated before, there are no others..." Aragorn began to pace, trying to figure out what to do with the current circumstances.

"There are those who dwell in the mountain..." Elrond said. Aragorn halted in his pacing. Quwen's hazel eyes widened and looked up from the ground. The vision of green smoke appeared behind her eyes, the ghostly soul calling her name once again.

Both rangers flinched before the eyes of the elves. The wind suddenly picked up outside, blowing the tent around them wildly. Quwen began tangled in them for a moment before they simple dropped back down to their resting point. Both rangers had encountered the unsettled spirits.

"Murders, traitors. You will call upon them to fight? They believe in nothing. They answer to no one..." Aragorn protested, his tone growing short.

"They will answer to the King of Gondor!" Elrond stated, throwing back his cloak and removing a very familiar sword. It's length was unbelievable. Quwen watched with wide eyes as Aragorn intently watched the blade. "Andúril, the Flame of the West, forged from the shards of Narsil!"

Reaching out slowly, Aragorn lifted the kingly sword from the elf lords hands. A look of pure awe entered the Ranger's eyes. He stoked the scabbard, his lips turning up slightly in the corners.

"Sauron will not have forgotten the sword of Elendil..." Aragorn breathed before he wrapped his strong hands around the hilt and drawing the long and glimmering blade from its hiding place. Quwen followed the light as it ran along the polished length.

The sword continued to rise upward, almost never seeming to stop. It was marvelous.

"The blade that was broken shall return to Minas Tirith..." He breathed once more, his eyes still focused on the long blade. Quwen herself couldn't take her eyes away from the dazzling master piece.

"The man who can wield the power of this sword can summon to him an army more deadly than any that walks this earth. Put aside the Ranger. Become who you were born to be. _I gave hope to the Dunedain..._" Elrond told him quietly, a sudden sadness filling her eyes. Pondering over his words, Aragorn looked to the ground and sighed.

"I have kept no hope for myself..." The Ranger breathed before sheathing the sword.

"And that is why your people love you... You give them so much hope, you spare none for yourself..." Quwen said, placing an arm on his shoulder. She cast Arwen a dark look, but it softened slightly when Aragorn looked at the woman beside him.

Looking deeply into her eyes, he knew what he must do. His lips pressed into a firm line before he brushed past her, the long sword by his side. She watched him go, a sadness now filling her eyes.

As Aragorn stalked back to his tent, he threw open the flaps to his tent. Walking inside, he began to walk whatever he would need for the journey into the mountain. It was not long before he looked up and found Quwen standing near the doorway, her face grim.

She watched him pack in silence.

"Where are you going?" She finally asked. He stopped his packing and looked up at her, trying to distance himself from the blonde woman in the doorway.

"Under the mountain..."

"Aragorn, they are dishonorable in life! What makes you think that they will honor the agreement in death?" She asked him, her tone growing short. He met her gaze directly and tried to muster the sharpest look possible.

"We must try!" He crossed the short distance of the tent before knew what was happening. Grasping her shoulders tightly in his hands, he shook her but only the slightest. She looked away from him and grew silent.

"So I must begin packing I assume?" She said quietly, her tone slightly biting. He thought her words over for a moment. No, she could not go with him. It was too dangerous. She was right when she said they probably wouldn't honor the agreement.

So if he must, he would leave her here to live a normal and happy life.

"No..." He commanded her before taking up his saddle bags and leaving the tent. A total of three seconds passed before he heard her exit the tent.

"No? What do you mean no?"

"No, means that you are not to accompany me... No one shall, it is far to dangerous..."

"And that is all the more reason to have someone go with you!"

"Quwen, you will not go with me and that is final!"

"Yet, Gimli and Legolas are to accompany you?" Aragorn noticed that she was looking over his shoulder. Glancing behind him, he noticed a solemn looking elf and dwarf behind him with Arod.

Aragorn didn't answer. He only looked at the ground in shame. His next moves he knew would hurt her. He would hurt her badly.

"So why can I not-"

"I don't love you anymore..." She stopped dead in her tracks and looked up at him with wide eyes. Aragorn risked a glance up at her and the moment his eyes met hers, she saw the lie that lay inside them.

"Yet, at one point you did?" She about scoffed. He was really trying to play this game with her now?

"I thought I did but I was mistaken..."

"Of course you were..." Her tone was bitter as she laughed a humorless laugh. She knew that this was to happen. She just did not expect it to happen so soon. Maybe after the war.

"So, who is it then? If not I, then who? Éowyn? Oh, we can't forget the lovely Arwen, now can we?" Quwen growled, not believing what she was hearing.

"I love no one..." He lied, his voice full of ice and as hard as stone.

"Do you want to know the saddest part of all this madness?" Quwen said once again, her tone bitter. Angry tears stung at her eyes and she whipped them away quickly. "I loved you... Well, I believe that I still love you..." His heart ached at her words.

"You cannot leave me here!" She protested, her tone growing weaker by the moment.

"Quwen, I don't love you!" He yelled, trying to beat it into her head. He knew that she was stubborn so he would have to take a different approach with her. The tears fell more freely now, her lip quivered slightly at his terrible words.

Showing how much humanity he had left, he slowly approached her. Pulling the blonde woman forward, he gently kissed her forehead, his eyes sliding closed in the moment.

Quwen's shoulders shook slightly as she cried. Inside her head, she couldn't believe the circumstances she was in. She had just told the only man that ever mattered to her that she loved him and he broke her heart.

Pulling away, his blue eyes reopened. Nodding slightly to Legolas and Gimli, they mounted Arod. Aragorn also mounted Brego who was prepared by one of the saddle boys that had traveled with the army.

Stepping back to his dark brown steed, he sat down in the saddle and turned his horse to leave, knowing that if he wasn't careful, he would run back and comfort her. Urging Brego forward, the horse took a few steps forward before her soft voice floated up to him.

"I would have followed you anywhere, my lord..." Her voice shook at the last part and she slowly sunk to her knees. Aragorn only glanced back at her for a moment, her tear stained face permanently burned in his memory. "I would have followed you to the ends of the Undying Lands and back if you asked it of me..."

Aragorn swallowed thickly, tears threatening to pool in his own eyes. Facing back forward, the Heir to the throne of Gondor entered the crack in the mountain with his elf and dwarf companion, not sparing a second glance back at the Lady of the North.


	6. Chapter 6

**Third Person's POV**

**Rohirric.**

_Elvish._

For however long she remained on the ground, Quwen did not know. It felt like hours had passed since she had stared into the black abyss where Aragorn had last disappeared.

The tears on her cheeks had tried long ago but she still remained slunk on the ground.

No one bothered to approach her. They knew that she was in a delicate state and would crack just as easily as she had before. Her walls, once solid as the Deeping Wall at Helm's Deep, had been softened by the heir. He had all but torn them down, leaving her soft and more vulnerable now.

Her hardened hazel eyes only stared at the crack before her. A certain emptiness filled the hazel pools once again. She felt empty. Not the type of empty of losing Aragorn at the river near Helm's Deep.

No, she knew of Aragorn's feelings now. It was as if she had thought all along. He did not love her the way she loved him. And that killed her inside. No one wanted her.

No one _needed_ her.

A small spark formed in the bottom of her stomach. It only lasted for a moment before Quwen shut her eyes to hold the pain inside. However, the small spark had ignited a flame inside and it was quickly burning up the pain.

A new sense of anger filled her. She was not so angry at Aragorn. No, she was absolutely livid with herself.

This bitter end was her own fault. She let the dark and mysterious Ranger from the North ensnare her in his own unforgiving trap that he had been weaving ever since they had first connected at Rivendell.

Some darker thoughts filtered into her head. Some small, yet devious whispers. Quwen knew not to listen to them but the voice was so sweet and cunning in the back of her mind.

It whispered a tale of her dying on the battle field. All her worries and problems would be wiped away by the waves of pure luck her death would bring. Quwen did not fear death. She never had and in fact, she welcomed it with open arms.

One could say that she was almost tired of living out her life. She was tired of seeing those she loved around her die. She just wanted it to be over. And she would find peace in death.

_What would your mother say?_ The little voice in the back of her head whispered. Quwen could only sniff her nose in response before she opened her mouth to speak quietly.

**"No woman needs a man to make her happy...** **One must only look for love from her family for wholeness..."** The soft Rohirric verse rolled off her tongue. Her own mother's voice echoed in her head, just as she remembered it all those years ago when Quwen complained about how she would never find a husband to take care of her.

A humorless smile came onto her face. Why had she not listened to her mother? She may not be in the cirmustances that she was in now. But she still might have been.

Her mother did not know that Aragorn would come along and rob Quwen of her own heart.

Her mind once again turned to death. It would be foolish for her to claim her life now. She could die for a worthy cause. She would die to save the people in the North. She would die to save the Hobbits of the Shire. The Elves across all the distant lands. The dwarves beneath the mountains. The innocent people living in the White City.

She would sacrifice everything for them. Quwen would sacrifice it all for her friends, who were seen no longer as friends, but her family. The only family she had known for some time.

She would sacrifice everything for Aragorn. Because she still loved him.

Mopping a hand over her face, she then decided to try and get up. However, there was a certain weakness in her knees. Sighing, she slowly drew her father's long sword out. Placing the tip into the ground, she used the blade to climb to her feet.

The Lady of the North staggered a bit when she rose, her legs having fallen asleep hours ago. She was able to keep her feet beneath her and when she turned around, she frowned.

Éomer stood beside his younger sister, tears trailing down her own cheeks. She had been rather joyful when Aragorn had denied Quwen's love but he still claimed to love no other.

Not even the lovely elf maiden that had visited only that night.

The Third Marshal only regarded Quwen with softened eyes. She was hurt right now, mortally wounded in his eyes. He watched as she clamored to her feet and a sense of sadness filled his heart.

"Quwen..." She had began walking towards him, or rather her tent that lay behind him. She would return to her bed and lick her wounds clean. Her sword was still in her hand which caused him to grow weary. He reached out to grab her shoulder but she spoke up.

"Don't..." She warned him, her tone biting and sharp. He listened to her and dropped his hand back to his side. Éowyn only watched as the woman stalked past him, a slight frown on her lips. The White Lady had a new respect for her. Lady Quwen had been brave enough to admit to Aragorn that she loved him.

It took a lot of heart to do such a courageous thing.

Quwen marched passed him to get to her tent. She silently entered the emaculate tent, still silently cursing how ridiculous it was in size. A frown tugged at her lips as she gazed down at the soft bed before her. She realized just how tired she actually was.

She just felt so mentally exhausted and a good couple hours of sleep would do her good.

She removed her sword from her side after placing it back in its sheath. Quwen also dumped her other weapons on the ground beside it before kicking off her boots. Plopping down onto the covers rather ungracefully, she wrapped herself in the warm quilt before letting her heavy eyes drift shut.

* * *

"_All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost_..." Galadriel's soft voice once again filled her head.

Upon opening her eyes, Quwen gazed up at a red and orange sky. Slowly sitting up, her hair fell to rest against her back. As she looked around, she noticed that the land fell away from around the stone. The sun seemed to be setting over the land, casting shadows along the mountains that surrounded her.

She rose from her place, her eyes fixed on the setting sun. A piercing cry rang through her ears. At first thought, Quwen believed the shrill cry to be that of the Nazgûl. Shutting her eyes tightly, she ducked down and placed her hands over her ears.

She shuttered in her sleep and rolled over subconsciously. When she turned to face the foul noise though, it was not what she expected. Feathers floated down around her, some landing gently in her hair. Wings flapped around her and when the dust settled, her jaw dropped open.

"Gandalf?" The wizard stood there in all his glory, his white robes reflecting in the sunlight with a bright smile on his face. The kind wizard only nodded before stepping towards her.

"I see that I was successful in reaching you in your dreams..." He mused to himself. A strong bit of wind blew around the two of them, nearly knocking Quwen over. Peering over the edge, the Lady about screamed. They were so high above the ground, Quwen's vision swam and she stumbled back from the ledge.

"Where are we!?" She asked him and the wizard only chuckled as he gazed at the disheveled woman.

"We are east of the Misty Mountains up in an eagles' eyrie..."

"And why are we up here?" She gazed wearily over the edge once more.

"Because I require your assistance..." The wizard mused, a small smirk on his face. His eyes twinkled with mirth as he gazed at the woman. Another high pitched cry echoed around them and when Quwen looked around, she saw that about a dozen huge eagles were circling them on the small nest perch. "You see, I need you to complete a task..."

"What is it, Gandalf?"

"There is something that lays deep in the mines of Moria..." Quwen was stunned into silence

"What lies down there?" She asked him quietly and he only chuckled.

"Something you would have never dreamed about imagining... However, it is dangerous and I only came to you because I know that you are the only one who can do this..." The wizard explained. She swallowed nervously as she looked at him.

"Why am I the only one who can complete this mission?" She asked him but he turned away from the Lady of the North. Swallowing, she decided to move onto a different question. "You wish me to go down into Moria?" Fear erupted in her heart when she even thought about the dismal place.

"Quite right, my dear! And the eagles will take you there!" Gandalf reached out and grasped her wrist. Spreading open the palm of her hand, he placed something inside her palm. It began to flutter around and Quwen panicked. She was about to open her palm but Gandalf kept her hand closed.

"You must show no fear when you are in the mines and when you are speaking to them..." He warned her before he turned to leave. He squeezed her hand once more to tell her to keep her hand closed. She nodded before she watched him go. He disappeared in a swirl of feathers. One important question entered her mind as he was leaving.

"Wait! What's down in the mines?" She called to the open air.

"You already have the means of knowing the answer to that question..." Gandalf's voice echoed in her head.

"How do you know that I can complete this mission?!" She repeated her question once more. She called to the open air but no one answered her.

"_From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renenwed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king_..." Galadriel seemed to be whispering in her ear, causing Quwen to shutter.

Forcing her eyes open, she sat up straight in her bed. She could feel something fluttering around in her hand once more. She frowned slightly before opening her fingers. A large white moth twitched its wings on her exposed palm.

A strong gust of wind suddenly blew through the tent. The warm air brushed against her skin and she shut her eyes momentarily. The wind took the moth with it and Quwen watched as the small creature drifted out through the flaps of the tent.

She watched it flutter off before remaining on her bed for a moment. She must complete this task or else all of Middle Earth would fall to Sauron.

Seeing the moth as a sign, she leapt from her bed.

Racing through the camp, she raced passed a couple of guards who were sleeping when they were supposed to be keeping watch. Running to the tent where her saddle and supplies were kept, she flew inside, scaring the guard that was keeping watch over the tack.

He had also been dozing off slightly. He tumbled backwards off the log where he had been perched, letting out a startled yell in the process.

Diving over to her things, she threw open her saddlebag and plunged her arm in elbow deep. Pushing through all the things she had accumulated over all the years she had traveled, she found what she was looking for.

Pulling the book out, she ran her hand over the cover. A small smile twitched at her lips as she took in the leather cover.

"What lies in the mines of Moria that I am not to fear?" She whispered into the pages, bringing the book up to gently kiss the soft leather. Taking a deep breath, she opened the book and flipped through the mostly blank pages before her eyes fell on one carefully written word.

The blood drained from her face as she gazed at the word. Letting the book slide from her hands, it clattered to the ground.

"Are you alright, my lady?" The guard peered around the corner and had seen the book slide between her fingers. After a moment, she turned her hazel eyes toward him and she swallowed nervously.

"I'm fine..." She managed to choke out. Gandalf was right to say that she would never even dream about imagining that this could happen. After hundreds of years, it turns out that they weren't extinct at all.

The guard left, as if sensing her distress and left her alone. And still now, Quwen stared down at the book before her, that word, that one word staining the blank pages of the book. Reaching down, she swore she had not seen the correct word, that her eyes were playing a trick on her.

Turning over the leather book in her palms, her eyes were indeed correct when she first read the neat manuscript. And as she stared down at the pages, the one word stared back at her.

_Dragons_.

* * *

"Lady Quwen, where are you going?" Théoden called after her as she stormed through the camp. The guard had only left to waken the king and tell him of his discovery in the tent.

"I must take my leave!"

"But where shall you go?" He called after her. He was having problems with keeping up with the brisk pace the female had set. The older man was panting slightly as he chased after her.

"I am going to bring more help... We can't defeat Sauron's army without their help..." The Lady of the North had changed into traveling armor, for she would need it for the task she was about to accomplish.

She had changed into a dark blue tunic and she forced a leather jerkin over her head, similar to the one that Legolas wore. Her elven cloak still rested about her shoulders with the leaf clip firmly in place.

Her weapons hung around her hips and on her thighs. The hunting knife was in her boot.

The flapping of wings overhead startled her and the king. Some of the soldiers cried out, for fear it were one of the Fell beasts the Wraiths rode. However, as the large eagle landed before her, he settled his wings against his body.

"Gwaihir descendant of Thorondor..." Quwen breathed, reaching out a hand to touch his beak. The bird pushed it against her hand and closed his eyes for a moment.

"How do you know his name?" The King asked as Quwen gazed intently at the bird.

"I... I do not know... It's almost like I just knew it..." The great bird spread his wings, causing a gust of wind to swirl around the King and his company. Quwen held up her hands to keep the dust from her eyes.

Titling his right wing down, she swallowed and took a few steps closer.

"I am to leave with him..." Quwen breathed once more, still in awe of the giant eagle. Gandalf had told her stories of how he had called upon the Great Eagles for aid before.

Taking a step forward, she was about to mount the bird when someone called her voice in a soft voice. A voice she was very familiar with.

"Quwen?" Turning around, she saw Éomer standing faithfully by his uncle's side. "You will be careful?" She weakly smiled at him before turning back around and embracing him tightly. He chuckled as he held the woman against his chest.

"When am I not?" She teased and both pairs of hazel eyes sparkled with mirth. Quwen playfully patted his cheek before she turned back to the large bird and gripped the strap to her satchel tightly. Carefully climbing onto his back, she settled herself between his shoulder blades.

"Take care then..." He said. She only smiled and nodded. She did not know if she would ever see her friends again. She smiled a teary smile and without warning, the large eagle spread his wings and took off.

Quwen held a scream in her throat and she clung onto him tightly as they soared up into the sky. The camp shrank before her eyes and her stomach dropped away from her as they continued to climb higher.

The golden plains of Rohan passed under them. Trees and rocks appeared so small from the height they soared at. The moon overhead shone down upon them and the pair traveled in silence.

A few hours passed and soon they flew right over Fangorn forest. They flew lower as they passed over the glowing woods of Lórien. She could faintly see some of the elves as they moved between the trees with lanterns.

As they came closer to the mines, Quwen felt unease stir in her stomach once more. Clouds suddenly moved over the moon, causing the night to darken some. It was only a short matter of time before the eagle landed right outside the gates of Moria.

Memories rushed back to her, coursing over her, wave after wave.

_Together they stumbled out into the light at the end of the tunnel. Grassy hills met her eyes and the landscape was totted with wild flowers. Their feet crunched on the stones beneath them as their hurried footsteps echoed through the mouth of the cave._

_Tears threatened to fall and she let go of Aragorn. She planted myself down on a boulder a few feet away and grasped her arm tightly, the pain coming back. The adrenaline was wearing off and the loud roaring in her ears dimmed down to nothing._

_Everyone had collapsed onto the ground. Pippin and Merry were clinging to each other, sobbing. Sam had his face buried in his hands. Boromir stood a few feet away from her, frowning yet he kept his emotions under control. Legolas's face was sullen and he looked on the verge of tears as well. She looked down at her hands and they shook. Her breathing was shaky and uneven, coming out in rasps._

_"Legolas, get them up!" Aragorn ordered. "Give them a moment for pity's sake!" Boromir protested. He was standing beside Gimli, holding the dwarf back. He wanted to go back inside and kill all the goblins and was protesting heavily._

_"By night fall, these hills will be swarming with orcs!" Aragorn shot back. "We must reach the woods of Lothlorien!" Aragorn cleaned the orc blood from his sword and slid it back into its sheath._

_"Legolas, Boromir, Gimli! Get them up!" Aragorn ordered. She felt a presence appear by her side. Quwen looked up through watery eyes at Aragorn._

_"Quwen…" He whispered. She looked back down at her hands. "Come on, get up…" He ordered. She raised her eyes up to him once more. His own set was still red and watery as well. He sighed and pulled her into his chest. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his tunic. He lightly stroked her soft hair._

_"Everything will be all right…" He whispered but Quwen knew he was lying._

_Aragorn held her tightly to him and they remained that way for a moment, his chin rested on the top of her head. "Legolas…" Aragorn beckoned the elf to come to them. He placed his hand over her ear and they began to rock slightly._

_"Watch her and keep her going, no matter what…" The ranger whispered quietly to Legolas. The elf looked confused for a moment. The ranger's statement dawned on him and Aragorn stepped away from her. He whipped his thumb across her cheek and tried smiling but it just wasn't there._

_"We must be strong, for them…" He glanced over at the hobbits, causing Quwen's eyes to follow. She nodded and Legolas stepped forward. He embraced her in another hug but it didn't last as long as the one she shared with Aragorn. He kept a hand on the small of her back and she watched as Aragorn chased after Frodo. Her eyes were still buffy and slightly blurry but Quwen just followed after the elf who had taken her hand in his._

_They walked past two blurry forms and she brought them closer to her. Sobs racked through their small bodies as she held Pippin and Merry close to her. More tears threatened to stream down her face but the Lady fought them. She never knew how much of a battle this would be._

_Not a physical battle but a mental one._

_"Breeze… I'm so sorry…" Pippin said and he buried his face in her pant leg. "Shh, Pippin. It wasn't you're fault…" She said down to him._

_"Sometimes in life, we have to make a choice. Gandalf chose to sacrifice himself to save us because that was his choice. And even in life, its easier to believe that we don't have a choice and do what we know is right in our hearts. Chin up, Master Hobbit..." She tilted his chin up towards the sky and left them with a ghost of a smile._

Quwen never realized how vivid her memories where until now. Grief leaves deep imprints on one's soul. This was more like a scar.

Sliding off the back of the eagle, he only looked at her with his intelligent and sharp eyes before he spread his wings once more and took to the skies. She watched as his shadow flew off back to the Misty Mountains. Now turning back to the dark entrance before her she frowned.

She would need light.

Reaching into the satchel at her side, she had already planned for this problem. Pulling out an old, worn tunic, she ripped a few strips off the bottom. Searching for an piece of wood, she tied the ripped cloth to it. Striking her flint against the ground, she was able to start the torch on fire.

"_You must show no fear when you are in the mines_..." Gandalf commanded in her mind, leaving her to enter the dark caves. After taking a deep breath, she entered the mines.

_If I were a dragon... Where I would I hide for hundreds of years?_ She brooded to herself as she silently walked through the dark halls. She would not make the same mistake as Pippin by knocking a skeleton down a well and waking up a whole army.

She also remembered a time, all those long years ago when she had a run in with a group of dwarves. Except, the dwarves had not traveled alone. A hobbit and an elderly man had accompanied them. The strangest group of companions she had ever stumbled upon.

Hearing a rumble deep from within the mines, she froze in her footsteps. Listening intently, it seemed to come from the hall to her left. Swallowing her fear, she walked into the corridor and continued on.

The hall seemed to go on forever and Quwen became rather bored with her quest. It seemed that she was getting nowhere.

Suddenly, the corridor opened up into a huge cavern. The room wasn't the only thing that opened up. Before her, the floor seemed to split open and leave nothing but empty air in front of her.

She gasped in surprise and took a few steps back. It would be terrible if she fell.

Curiousity bloomed in her stomach however. It felt as though she remembered this place from when they had passed through the mine before. A small bit of glittering caught her eye and she peered down at it from a moment.

Seeing a torch on the wall behind her, she reached out towards it and lit it on fire as well. Hesitating momentarily, she decided to drop the flame down the hole to see what would happened.

Releasing the handle, the torch fell down into the gap and the whole thing lit up like Gandalf's legendary fireworks. The walls of the casm seemed to glow as the light passed it.

Quwen now remembered where she was.

_The wizard leading the group seemed to notice something in the side of the walls. His fingers ran over the silver veins that flowed through the rocks. _

_"The wealth of Moria is not in gold, or jewels, but Mithril..." He explained as he increased the light in the room that came from his staff. The whole cave seemed to glitter in the light and everyone's jaw dropped open. _

_"Bilbo had a shirt of mithril rings that Thorin gave him..." Gandalf explained and Quwen continued to pick her way along the small ledge. She hugged the wall, for fear of falling into the bottomless pit. _

_"Aww, that was a Kingly gift!" Gimli cheered from ahead of her. The Lady of the North stopped for a moment, her head swirling as she gazed down into the darkness. Aragorn gently urged her forward from behind, telling her that they must keep up or be left behind. _

_"Yes. I never told him, but its worth was greater than the value of The Shire!" Gandalf explained once more, causing all the hobbits' mouths to drop open. Boromir couldn't help but chuckle at the sight before him. The hobbits were stunned into silence._

The Mithril shone down below her and Quwen swallowed nervously once more. If one Mithril shirt was of more value than The Shire, then how much would the entire cave be worth?

All the gold in Middle Earth. And what a better treasure for a dragon to have.

Hearing another rumble down deep from the depths, she figured that the sound came from the "dragon" that lay at the bottom. What if the dragon was not truly a dragon but some other terrible beast that was similar to a dragon? What if nothing was even down in the empty pit?

A second thought also struck her. How was she to get down there?

She had brought some rope with her but not enough to reach to the end of a bottomless pit. There seemed to be only a few hanging seats left over from the dwarves who mined them but those would not reach the bottom either.

The thoughts of jumping entered her mind.

"_You must show no fear when you are in the mines and when you are speaking to them_..." Gandalf's voice echoed in her head. Fear had indeed crept into her heart when the thoughts of jumping came to thought.

_No fear. Jump._ The voice in her head whispered. Oh, how she wished to ignore it but that was the fear that wished that of her._ Jump_.

"The crownless again shall be king..." She whispered and jumped she did.

Tossing the torch out before her, she jumped out into the open air. Her stomach was in her throat as the falling sensation overwhelmed her. Her body tumbled head over heels a few times as she fell through the endless darkness.

* * *

**So yeah. Long time between updates. My apologize.**

**Sports has been the cause of my laziness. Basketball season is drawing to a close and right now we are competing for places in our Conference. When I was writing this chapter, I was at 8,000+ words so I decided to break it up. **

**I was in fact, thinking about writing a Hobbit story. Except, if I were to write one, I don't know whether for it to be a Thorin/OC or a Fili/OC. Both are so handsome and adorable. **

**I have an idea I might try. It involves elves. **

**Also, I'm sorry for making Aragorn look like a heartless monster. He was just doing it to protect her. **

**Next chapter shall be very eventful and I can take a short break from writing, seeing as I have 95% of the chapter already written. I'll try to fix things between Quwen and Aragorn. Love will prevail.**

**Hopefully. **

**Love, **

**Blue**


	7. Chapter 7

**Third Person's POV**

Aragorn could feel their eyes on the back of his head.

Turning around, he gazed evenly at both Legolas and Gimli who were sending him rather harsh looks. Legolas's face didn't show it but in his eyes, there was a confused and pleading look in them.

Gimli just looked plain livid. Why would anyone in the right mind want to hurt the lass?

She was everything that a King would want in a Queen. Beautiful, wise, untammed, could take charge in his abscence. Who would not want Quwen?

As they rode through the dark valley, the trio hardly spoke a word. However, the Ranger could feel the tension growing in the air and he could sense that the questioning was about to being.

"I can't take this blasted silence anymore! Why didn't ye let the lass come?" Gimli snapped, his beard twitching slightly in anger.

"She would be in danger if she came with us..." Aragorn replied calmly.

"You didn't have to tear her heart apart to keep her from following!" Legolas stood up for the female, seeing as how she couldn't defend herself when she was not here.

"You know how she is... We would have had to chain her to an oak tree to keep her from following!"

"And why did you not do that? At least she would have been spared the heartbreak!" Legolas snapped at the heir who was taken aback at his biting tone. It wasn't like Legolas to defend a mortal so easily.

"The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places. But still there is much that is fair. And though in all lands, love is now mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps, the greater..." Legolas said quietly, meeting Aragorn's gaze without fear. "Quwen was the other half to your empty soul..."

"My soul was not empty..."

"But it was not filled either!" The elf protested before spurring Arod to trot ahead of Brego so that he didn't have to look up the Heir of Isildur.

"I only did it because I love her..." Legolas haulted Arod and both of his riders gazed sharply at Aragorn.

"You should have told her when you had the chance! What if she is to die and you will never see her again?"

"Then I would be broken..." He muttered before Brego slowly walked passed the silver horse and continued through the dark valley. The dismal place did nothing for his spirit and as they walked through the seeming valley of death, he felt the wanting swell in his heart.

* * *

A loud groan escaped from her lips.

Her eyes rolled forward in her skull as she came once more into the Land of the Living. It felt as though her lungs had burst in her chest as she lay against the hard ground. Upon opening her mouth once more, she felt blood pool inside.

She had bit her tongue. Spitting the iron liquid onto the floor of the cave, she groaned again and rolled over. Why was she not dead? All the bones in her body should have shattered upon impact. So why was she alive?

The more she thought about it though, the more confused she became. The ground seemed to be no softer than normal and her torch lay only a few feet away, still burning despite the fall.

Quwen rolled over onto her back. She should be dead right now.

Upon further examination of the ground, she found that it was not rock but it was bits of Mithril. At some point, Gimli had talked about the wonderous metal. It had said that it was extremely soft and malleable.

That wasn't why she was alive though. A little bit of Mithril to stop her fall wouldn't save her from shattering her bones.

The dwarf had explained that Mithril was softer than rock but stronger than dragon's scales. That did not make any sense and confused Quwen to no end. Clambering to her feet, she winced as her vision swam slightly.

Reaching down to pick up her torch, Quwen held it out before her so she could see. Piles of Mithril and other gems lined the walls. An eerie feeling began to prickle at the back of her head. Someone was watching her.

Quickly spnning around, she turned to find nothing but her own shadows flickering upon the wall. She could have sworn she could have heard something sliding around on the stone walls.

The whole area around her branched off into different tunnels. Walking past one of the gaping holes, she was to focused on the one before her to notice the large, slitted eye open and watch her pass.

As she was walking through, her foot caught on something. She nearly stumbled but was able to save herself but bracing herself on the cave wall. Turning back around, she simply narrowed her eyes and continued to keep the fear from her heart, just as Gandalf had said.

The skeleton stared up at her with empty eyes but she only continued forward, just missing the tip of a tail that slid around a corner.

After exploring for sometime, Quwen stopped before a large pile of shining Mithril. Deciding to rest, she reached into her satchel and retrieved an apple from inside. Dropping down to sit on the pile of glittering stones, she took a large bite from the fruit.

The Mithril almost appeared to be like pearls in the firelight. Reaching a hand out, she picked up a handful of glittering stones and let them fall through her fingers, save for a couple.

Slipping her hand into her satchel, she dropped a handful of the small bit of jewels into a smaller pocket on the inside. A sudden roar reverberated around the cave. The apple tumbled from her hands as Quwen placed her hands over her ears. The roar shook her to her very core and rattled her bones. Her teeth even chattered in her mouth.

The pile of gems and gold behind her suddenly exploded, pelting her with hard objects. Her skin stung were they hit and she guessed that they would bruise tomorrow.

A large black head emerged from underneath all the treasure, its large jaws open as the roar continued to shake the room. Fire leapt from between its teeth as it continued to cry out in rage.

There was an actually beast that lay dormant on the bottom of the casm. Quwen's doubt was immediately washed away as the figure reared up and loomed over her as it sat back on his haunches.

This was very real.

Quwen did not let fear grip her heart, knowing that she would be dead if she did. Dragons were very attune to emotions and if they could sense your fear, you were to be their next meal, or that was what the legends claimed.

Her ears wrung as the creature stopped roaring. Glowing green eyes starred down at her intently, smoke billowing from the nostrils of the creature. Collapsing onto its claws, the beast hovered over her.

The warm smoke billowed in her face and Quwen blinked a few times. It stung her eyes and she coughed before waving a hand before her face, trying to clear up the smoke.

"Why... have you... come?" The creature spoke slowly as if he had just woken up. Its voice was deep and it caused a shiver to run up her spine. Stepping back slightly, Quwen bowed her head. "You tresspass upon my territory!" He roared.

"I come on behalf of the King of Gondor!" She stated, her voice strong and unwavering. The dragon snorted at her again, sending more smoke her way.

"There has not been a King on the throne in years..." He rumbled once again. Quwen raised an eyebrow at that.

"The Heir of Isildur has returned to the throne and he requires your assistance!" She told the old dragon and he growled something under his breath. "But more importantly, why did I not fall to my death when I leapt from the ledge?" She pondered to the elder dragon. Some fire flew from between his teeth in thought.

"Our magic only protects those who enter our domain without fear... The others around you were not as fearless as yourself..." He nodded to the decrepit skeletons that lay scattered around the floor of the cavern. The dragon breathed in suddenly, closing his eyes in concentration before they burst open in surprise.

"Dúnedain blood courses through your veins..." He mused and Quwen's eyes widened. Not in fear, but in amazement. She had once heard that dragons could read minds but she didn't know that he knew what her people smelled like.

"Yes. I am one of the last of my people. We have become scarce since the rise of Sauron has began again. He believed the King to be among us and decided to destroy our villages... So few of us remain..."

"Your people had always been kind to me and my bretheren..." He told her and Quwen felt pride swell within her. Maybe this would not be as terrifying as she believed it to be. "What is your name child?"

"I am Quwen, daughter of Roaner, Lady of the North..." Quwen bowed deeply once more, causing the dragon to rumble with laughter. "I also come on behalf of Gandalf the White..."

"Gandalf, my old friend? He is getting to be quite old is he not?" The dragon raised his voice and laughed, causing the cave to shake once more, almost causing Quwen to fall over.

"May I be so bold to ask for your own name?"

"Glauren is my name. I am the son of Glaurang, Father of Dragons..."

"Are you the last of your kind?" His rumbling laughter filled the close air once more. His long tail swished around in the air before he dropped it heavily on the ground. The ground shook once more, causing Quwen to lose her balance. She fell back onto her rear, landing with a grunt.

"Just because you have not seen a dragon for hundreds of years does not mean we are extinct! You just weren't looking hard enough for us!" He mused and he stood suddenly, stretching his huge wings out. They were black as night and for the first time, he showed her his full body.

Most of his slim body had been covered by treasure but when he rose, all the gems and gold tumbled away from him, revealing his black scaled body. The black dragon was longer than he was tall. He was terrifying and breathtaking at the same time.

She had only heard stories of how great and powerful the red dragon, Smaug had been. His name still brought fear into the hearts of dwarves all across Middle Earth. Luckily, Quwen was not a dwarf.

"My children, reveal yourselves!" Glauren bellowed. All was silent for a moment before both the ground and air began to shake. Quwen braced herself on the side of the cave's wall, not wanting to fall once again.

She watched with curiousity as smoke and fire billowed from all the different tunnels around her. Even the holes in the walls above her shook. It was only a moment before the heads of multiple dragons came from the tunnels. The young beasts crawled from their holes, all of them equally as long as their father.

They were all differently colored, most of them having black or silver marking on their bodies, similar to that of their father. Most of them also appeared to be of darker shades of red or rust.

As they came to approach her, Quwen kept the fear from her heart, making sure to remain calm.

Taking a silent count of all of them, she could see thirteen other dragons total. However, a slimmer, more majestic red dragon came from beneath another pile of Mithril a few feet away from Quwen. It held its head high and walked with a sense of purpose.

"Ah, my beautiful mate!" Glauren seemed to smile and smoke billowed out from between his teeth. The lovely maroon dragon came to rest beside the darker colored male, leaning her slim head on his shoulder.

"Ethrea, we have a visitor in our midst..." The male dragon nuzzled his mate's neck and she seemed to purr like a small kitten. The female dragon gazed down at her cooly before batting her long eyelashes at the woman.

"Oh, dearest! She is only a little thing! A mighty pretty one at that! She is quite the jewel to behold!" The female dragon brought her face down to Quwen's level before blowing some warm steam on her. It ruffled Quwen's long braided hair, causing some of it to spill into her face.

"You are quite the treasure aren't you? Any mortal man would be lucky to have such a gem in his posession!" Ethrea cooed and she beamed down at the Lady of the North.

"Why have you come, fleshling?" One of them growled from behind her. Quwen turned to face the younger dragons with curiousity. A large male stepped out from the group. His body was covered in mostly black but he had fierce red marks running along the planes of his face.

Quwen had to admit that he looked slightly intimidating.

"I have come to ask for your help in the war between Men and the Dark Lord..." She bowed her head slightly to show him some respect.

"War?" He snorted. "We do not have time to put ourselves in the wars of Men!" He snorted at her again and Quwen frowned slightly. This dragon showed little respect and manners. However, he only was a dragon.

She met the dragon's gaze evenly, his orange eyes seeming to glow in the darkness.

"Anloric..." His father warned at the dragon's biting tone. The younger male only cast his father a dark look before once again locking his orange eyes with her soft, hazel pair.

"And of all things they would send a woman! A simple pesant girl from the Northern country, trying to find her lost family..." He hissed as he began to slowly walk around her. Quwen only listened to his harsh words before he stopped before her and met her eyes.

"They send the weak minded to do their bidding... For fear that they would send a good soldier to be slautered by a group of imaginary beasts..." Anloric's once thin slits of eyes dialated for a moment, his gaze becoming intense on her. Quwen felt something tugging at the back of her mind but she pushed that feeling away.

"Do not try to influence her, brother!" A voice called from beneath a large pile of gold coins. The whole thing began to steam and the pile shifted as the fourteenth child showed himself.

The large male was a chocolate brown color and he had glowing green eyes like his father.

"She just looks so delicious standing there... Breathing in our air..." Anloric murmered as he continued to pace around the small human. The brown dragon stepped forward, smoke rising from his nostrils. "If we were to influence her, she would not put up a fight at all!"

"Dúnedain blood is strong in her veins. Her people have been understanding in the past... We must respect her request!" Glauren tried to reason with his children.

"But why must we take part in the war?" A smaller, silver colored dragon strode forward to stand beside Anloric.

"I think the true quesiton is, what is keeping us from joining the humans and fighting for our freedom?" The brown dragon pondered. Quwen was beginning to like this brown dragon over his brother.

"Toran! We did not ask of your opinion!" Anloric growled, his chest swelling and smoke billowing from between his teeth. The brown dragon didn't cower away from his sibling. Instead, they both cranned their necks and looked into each others' eyes.

"How do we know that our freedom will be returned?" A rose red female stepped forward, her eyes focused on the woman. When the younger dragoness stepped forward, everyone's eyes softened. Both of the larger males turned to the quiet spoken beast.

"Tessiea is correct in saying that she did not speak of us being freed..." Glauren voiced, rubbing his head on his mate's shoulder before turning his gaze on Quwen. Before she could answer however, she was interrupted.

"But she has an honest and strong heart!" Toran said his thoughts outloud as he gazed down on the small female. She felt a slight blush pass over her cheeks and she had to look away from his intense green eyes.

"Look at her though! I almost have her under my spell! Men are all weak minded! I say we just eat her and continue on as if nothing ever even occured!"

"Then we are to sit here and continue to scrape by on measly orcs and goblins! We have been living like this for hundreds of years and I'm tired of it! Tell me, none of you are tired of it as well?" A roar of agreement sweapt over the other twelve dragon children.

"And then we will be hunted down like Smaug!?" The black and red dragon bellowed and all of those around him fell silent.

"Do not speak of your brother as if he did not deserve death! The darkness claimed him much like your grandfather and he was brought to justice! He may have been my child at one point but we lost him when the gold claimed his heart!" Ethrea snapped at her son, rising from her feet. Her wings rose in warning, flames lapping out between her large teeth.

"Smaug was an unfortunate loss, we still mourn his passing for he still was our brother..." Toran said in a sad tone as he gazed down at his younger sister.

"What do you say, dearest? Would you like to claim our freedom back?" Glauren hummed to his mate by his side. The large female pondered this for a moment before she shut her eyes and slowly nodded.

"And so it will be! My children will not live out their lives in this pit!" She cried after a moment of silence.

"Mother, NO!" Anloric growled, turning his fierce gaze on his parents. Tension filled the air in the large cavern before suddenly, they all turned their gaze back on Quwen. Her gaze continued to pass over all the dragons as they spoke about her as if she was not present.

"It is time we escaped from this prison!" Tessiea cheered before stretching her large rosy wings over her head. Her siblings did the same, preparing their large wings to fly from the deep pit in the Mines. Bending down to the woman's level, Toran pressed his large snout into Quwen's stomach.

"Be free little one..." He murmered, blowing a gentle puff of smoke over her. It appeared as though they believed her to be under Anloric's hypnotic spell. Said dragon roared with furry, rushing towards the pair. He was not going to have his whole family murmered because of this human female!

He knocked Toran out of the way, catching his brother off guard. The female was now in his grasp and she still appeared to be under his spell.

Quwen felt the tugging at the back of her mind and continued to fight it.

Anloric's roar seemed to be the only thing to wake her from her slight daze, even after Toran offered her soft words. Hearing the terrifying cry, Quwen became completely whole once more.

The air wrang as she drew her blade. In a wonderful flash of cold steel in the torch light, she faced her opponent head on. However, as soon as the red and black dragon caught sight of the blade, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Manadhon! The blade of the Northern enforcer!" He squealed, as did his siblings. They all recoiled back from the shining blade. His father and mother, with weary eyes, stepped forward slowly. They all continued to glance nervously at the blade.

Quwen was severely confused at the moment. Manadhon? The blade of the Northern enforcer?

Her father had told her stories of how the same blade had been passed down through generations of Dúnedain sons that were in second-in-command behind the Chief. Quwen was the first daughter to ever have it.

Manad was also the name of a terrible beast. It was to be of feline nature, similar to that of a lion but they had been extinct since the fall of Sauron. Of course, Quwen believed dragons to be extinct as well and here she was standing before sixteen of them.

It was also said that Manad had quarreled with the fire-breathing beasts since before the beginning of time. They had fought and it was said that thunder was the great roaring of the lion creature.

The dragons continued to recoil back from the gleaming sword.

"That is right! Now, I promise you your freedom if you help us in battle... So, what say you?" Quwen tried to sound so sure of herself, even though she was unsure she could grant the dragons freedom when she wasn't a King or Queen.

The all exchanged uncertain looks before Toran and Glauren stepped forward together. They seemed to be the only ones who did not fear her blade or the female herself.

"We except your offer..." They replied in perfect unison. Quwen couldn't help but crack a grin.

"Then we must depart quickly! We have to get back to Minas Tirith before the battle has gotten too far along!" Quwen cheered before sheathing her sword. She walked back over to the torch when suddenly, she was sweapt up into a pair of teeth.

She was tossed into the air and landed with a hard thud on the scaly back of none other than Toran. She gripped tightly to his scales, terrified of flying once again. Scooting up closer to his head, she sat on his slimmer neck.

"You may want to hold on, my lady..." He mused before stretching out his strong wings.

"Hold on! I need something to grasp ahold of if I'm to ride on your back!" She cried. The large dragon only snorted through his nose but silently complied. Reaching into her satchel, she she brought out the rope she brought with her.

She dropped the rope to hang freely. Toran lowered his neck back to the ground so she could slide off. Wrapping the rope around the other side of his neck, she climbed back on after fashioning a type of harness that she could hold onto.

"You cannot go into battle wearing only that!" Ethrea cried before she picked Quwen up in her teeth. The woman let out a protesting yell as she was placed on the ground beside a skeleton.

A frown pulled her eyebrows together as she gazed down at the emaculately armored body. She looked back up at the dragons above her who all looked expectant as they gazed down on her.

"I'm to wear that?" Ethrea only snorted a cloud of smoke down at her. She recieved that to be a yes.

With an agitated sigh, Quwen bent down and began to remove the armor from the decayed corpse. Her nose turned up slightly as she began placing the silver armor around her own body. Oddly enough, she found that the armor seemed to fit rather nicely.

She shifted it so that it fit around her shoulders. Huffing, she reached her hands behind her head and braided back her long hair to keep it from her face, seeing as how it was disheaveled from being tossed around by the dragons.

"Are we ready to finally leave then?" Toran asked, rather impatiently. Quwen gazed up at him with a certain coolness in her eyes as she fastened the last couple of pieces of armor in place. She clipped her cloak around her shoulders in preparation for the cold air they would pass through while flying.

"Your mother was the one that insisted I wear armor!" She growled as Toran lowered his neck down for her. Pulling herself up using the harness, Quwen settled right before his powerful wings.

"How are we supposed to escape this place? I'm sure your can't get out through the normal doorway for you are all to big..."

"We break through the mountain..." Glauren answered as if knowing that was the plan the entire time. Quwen raised an eyebrow in disbelief but remained silent on back of his eldest son.

"So you've got fourteen brothers and sisters..." Quwen asked Toran as the other siblings prepared for flight.

"Actually thriteen now... Since the downfall of Smaug, my eldest brother..." He replied rather solemly. Quwen was about to question the large dragon about his other siblings when his parents suddenly took off.

With a protesting yell, Quwen soared straight upward. Cluthing tightly to the harness, she dangled from the rope, her feet flalling about behind her. The cave walls rushed past her as they flew upward.

She noticed something that was coming up ahead and realized that it was the roof of the cave.

"NO!" Quwen protested and she swore that she heard the brown dragon chuckle. Shutting her eyes tightly, Quwen jolted slightly when they crashed through the roof of the cave.

Sunlight suddenly met her eyes as the burst out into the open air. With cheerful roars of delight, the dragons around her released flames out into the open sky. Quwen had to duck closer to Toran to evade his own flames that he released into the air.

He soon level out and Quwen's rear once again was placed on his back. She was able to relax slightly. She felt Toran shudder beneath her as he absorbed the sun's rays.

Instead of heading South like they had planned, the dragons turned North and Quwen frowned.

"Minas Tirith lays in the south..."

"Yes but we are to head North to find more help!"

"More help? Sixteen dragons is not enough for our cause?!" She cried over the sound of the roaring wind.

"Not for this battle..." Glauren answered at the head of the group.

"Fifteen..." Toran corrected her. She raised an eyebrow. "We only have fifteen dragons now..." Glancing back over her shoulder, Quwen could see a small black fleck disappearing into the distance, heading towards the dark clouds that covered Mordor.

"So why must we head North?" Quwen called over the howling wind, pushing the thoughts of Anloric's betrayal to the back of her mind.

"The Cold-drakes hide in the mountains..."

"The Cold-drakes are only a legend!" Quwen yelled as Toran flew between a small hole in the mountain side. She hugged closer to his body so that she would not have her head taken off by the stone.

"You also only believed us to be legend until only hours ago!" Toran called cheerfully as he blew another bit of fire into the air. Quwen ducked once more, actually wanting to keep her hair and eyebrows.

* * *

A chill filled the air as they soared closer to the mountain range. A few hours ago, the green and grassy lands had changed into a white wasteland that was covered in nothing but snow and stones.

It was almost exactly how Quwen had left it. Pristine and beautiful.

The dragons had grown rather silent in the last couple of hours. She figured that they were taking in the world around them, seeing as how most of them had never even laid eyes upon the glowing orb that filled the sky.

She pulled her hood up around her ears, also trying to protect her cheeks which were being nipped at by the cold air. Her breath came out in puffs and she entertained herself with that for a while.

The cold was almost a welcomed feeling. After living in the chillier regions her whole life, she had begun to miss the nip in the air.

A small laugh escaped her throat as she thought about what exactly was happening. She was on the back of a dragon, flying in the Northern skies to recruite help from the legendary Cold-drakes.

It was almost as if she were dreaming. She would have never thought she would be where she was at the moment.

Soaring closer to the mountain side, Glauren floated down to land on one of the higher mountain tops. He let an ear splitting roar escape from his throat, as if calling for the legendary dragons.

The family of dragons also landed on the steep cliff side, Toran hanging from the stones with his claws.

Quwen had a hard frown set on her face as she hung from the harness, her feet dangling once more in the open air. Her face was humorless as she glared at the back of Toran's head, knowing that she would give the dragon a piece of her mind later on.

The siblings grew silent as they also hung from the cliff side, awaiting for the return of their cousins.

A shrill roar came across the cold wind of the North. Just across the way, Quwen watched as the mountain seemed to shift. A long, snake-like figure stood up, the snow cascading off his body.

However, Quwen could not tell when all the snow had fallen off, considering the beast shown as white as the snow beneath his feet. He was without wings as Cold-drakes normally described. They couldn't fly.

"Scatharn!" The father of the dragons called to his snow white cousin across the way. Quwen cursed under her breath in elvish, realizing that this dragon was the decendant of one of the legendary yet terrifying beasts that had attacked her people during the First Age. Scatha.

Glauren dove out into the open air before using his powerful wings to propel himself across to the opposing mountain side.

Toran followed his father, Quwen about screamed as he flew upside down and she had to hold into him, nothing but empty air beneath her. She prayed that the knots in the harness held.

Once gravity was restored, she fell hard onto the brown dragon's back. The air rushed from her lungs and she wheezed out a cough.

"I am very unhappy with you at the moment..." She growled to Toran who merely chuckled, shaking her in the process. They came to land beside the black dragon.

"Cousin..." The white dragon hissed, seeming less than pleased with the appearance of his fire-breathing cousins. Quwen knew that the Cold-drakes could indeed not breath fire.

A few of them could breath steam and mist but none could produce a flame. It was because they had colder blood and didn't live in the warmer parts of the world. However, the Cold-drakes were also more cold hearted than fire-breathing dragons.

The snow white dragon had golden eyes that glimmered with slight anger towards the rest of the creatures who had accumulated on his mountain side.

"And a human..." He had inhaled suddenly when his eyes came to focus on the woman atop his cousin's back. He shut his eyes momentarily in concentration before opening them once more. "A Dúnedain woman at that..." He cooed and Quwen felt herself shake.

She told herself it was from the cold, not from fear.

"It has been some time since I have tasted your race of people..." He seemed rather cheerfull that his cousins had brought him food. A delicious meal in his opinion.

"I guess you would call us a rare meat then?" She was surprsied at how calm her voice sounded. Why did the Cold-drake affect her like this yet she was comfortable around the fire-breathers?

He merely chuckled at her attempt at humor.

"Why do you enter my realm?" He growled after sobering.

"We cannot merely stop by for a visit?" Glauren almost snickered as he sat back on his haunches in relaxation. The white beast continued to eye Quwen but Toran let out a warning growl to keep the seemingly starved monster at bay.

"You haven't stop and visited me and my brothers for over five hundred years..."

"Well, we have been a bit busy..."

"A bit busy with what!?"

"Surviving..." Tessiea growled as she stepped up beside her mother, both dragons very similar to one another. They both held a sense of elegance about them.

"Ah, yes. I can see how that would be very time consuming..." Scathan retored, earning a very sarcastic look from the rose red dragon. "But, why the woman?"

"The King of Gondor calls for aid..." Quwen replied calmly as she met his golden gaze with ease. Toran growled quietly once more, seeing the snow dragon eyeing his charge. Quwen placed a hand on his warm scales, telling him that everything would be okay.

"_Hush now, Toran_..." She whispered before sliding from his back and taking a few steps toward the white beast. She let the fear drain from her heart as she stood tall before the snake-like creature.

"It has been some time since I have heard that wonderous language spoken..."

"But you seem to be without luck!" She nonchalantly walked towards him as if he weren't actually a towering beast that could rip her to shreads at any moment.

"And why is that?"

"_Because you have heard it from me_!" She hissed before drawing her long sword. It took a moment before the dragon understood the seriousness of the situation. His golden eyes traced over the blade before coming to rest on the end of the hilt. The lion was frozen in an eternal snarl, striking fear into the hearts of dragons across the lands.

"Manadhon!" Scathan hissed as he scrambled up the cliff side.

"Indeed! Now who is the one to tremble in the snow!? Who is the one filled with such confidence?" She nearly snarled at the cowering beast. He was now abovet her on the cliff face but she pointed the sword up at him to keep him in place. The snow dragon turned to Glauren.

"And you are to side with this mortal even after everything that that sword has done to us?" Scathan growled down to his cousin who only seemed to gaze at the woman with trust.

"She promised us freedom..."

"Did it ever occur to you that she may be lying?" Quwen felt her blood boil at the dragon's implication. All at once, it poured from her in a stream of strongly spoken words.

"How dare you quesiton my honesty! Did it ever occur to_ you_ that I would stick to my promise and free the dragons of Middle Earth? _Apparently not_!" She growled, her voice echoing off the mountain around her. A rapid string of elvish curses rushed from her mouth as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why is there no longer trust in this world?!"

"Because of that sword..." Scathan narrowed his eyes at said blade. Quwen looked at it with curiousity, notcing for the first time that letters seemed to appear on the shinning metal. Squinting slightly, she understood it to be of the ancient Dúnedain language. However, she could only read few of the words.

"_Manadhon is my name, bane of dragons. Forged from the claws of the one who came before_..." Quwen's eyes scanned over the shinning blade as she struggled to make out the writing.

In her eyes, this blade was of lesser greatness compared to Andúril. However, it was still had its own grandness.

"That blade was a gift from the Golden One who came long ago. It was said to be gifted to a Dúnedain male who had dared enter the realm of the Beast..." Toran clarified to her as his own eyes ran down the blade.

"Our kind often quarreled with the Golden One. It was said that his roar shook the mountains and his teeth and claws could tear through stone..." Glauren also added in and Quwen slowly nodded.

"It would appear that your forefathers were the enforcers of the North, for all dragons feared that blade and its unforgivable sting!" Ethrea breathed as she stood beside her mate.

"And now it has come to me..." Quwen said quietly as she stared down at said terrible blade. They all grew silent for a moment before Quwen decided she must speak again as to fully gain the dragons trust and whipe out an insecurity that had about her.

"But with this very same blade I will lead you to your freedom..." She promised them before slowly sheathing her sword and getting down on one knee, showing her humbleness. The white dragon only gazed down at the woman, his fear gone now that the murderous blade was hidden away.

"Very well then..." He began and Quwen raised her head up, her cheeks now rosy red from the chill in the air. "However, I won't be going alone!" He let out a shrill cry escape his throat, causing the woman to wince and cover her ears.

Responding shrieks answered back after a moment of complete silence. The sides of opposing mountains slithered and moved before the snow tumbled off the other dragons.

A blue beast across the way opened his mouth and out came a cloud of smoke and mist.

The Cold-drakes were more of colder and calmer colors. Light blues, greys, silvers, and even some pale green dotted the mountain side.

"We have to hurry! There is no time to waste!" Quwen urged Scathan who meerely nodded. A question struck Quwen though. "If you cannot fly, how are you to reach Minas Tirith?"

"I believe that we can help in with that problem!" Glauren exclaimed as he walked towards Scathan who only glowered at his cousin. The black dragon flapped his large wings before he reached down with his paws and wrapped them around the Cold-drake's body.

He let out a protesting growl but remained silent nonetheless.

"Get on, my lady..." Toran commanded gently and she beamed before climbing onto his lowered neck. She grasped tightly to the harness in preparation of flight. The brown dragon lifted off the snow covered ground before he carefully wrapped his paws around the light blue dragon who could breathe mist.

Thirty dragons now made up the group. They had a fighting chance.

"Help is coming..." She whispered to herself as she set her eyes upon the dark cloud covering Mordor and Minas Tirith. Help was indeed coming.

* * *

**Alright, new chapter. Hope you liked the whole dragon bit. I thought I would change things up instead of just having her charge into battle and kill some orcs like a badass. **

**I know that it is kind of a sidetrack seeing as how we have to travel back to the North to get the Cold-drakes. But I just wanted to change things up! Keep you guys on your toes! Also, my story is only seven chapters long so far! In my eyes, Return of the King was a realitively short movie when it came to showing Aragorn. **

**It was mostly about Frodo. But that's alright. **

**I laughed out loud at dandapanda's review. Just: DRAGONS! I want a dragon! I also thought it was funny how FlameofUdun gave me two reviews because of a misspelling. I love you guys so much. Nony, you make me smile. **

**Thanks to all the others who reviewed. You guys are like my best friends... To answer some of your quesitons, yes ****I sort of took the idea from the Hobbit, seeing as how Smaug is supposed to be Toran's brother. **

**Oh, yes! Almost forgot!**

**Techically I guess I own Toran, Tessiea, Anloric, Ethrea, Glauren, and all the other dragons except Smaug amd Glaurang. I also own Manadhon too and the legend of the Great Lion. And of course there is Quwen and Del. **

**It feels weird saying I own people. Or rather, imaginary people. **

**Review!**

**Love, **

**Blue**


	8. Chapter 8

**Third Person's POV**

Quwen glanced down at the ground, noticing something standing alone in the field below them. As she squinted her eyes, she could faintly make out that it's head was bending down and the creature was eating the grass. She swore that she recognized the color of its coat and she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Toran, we have to land here!" She told her brown protector who only turned his neck and sent her a disbelieving look. "I need back on the ground!"

"Alright! You humans are so needy!" He tilted his wings down and they slowly descended back down to the ground.

Toran released the blue dragon that had flown with them. As soon as his feet hit the ground, Quwen slid off his back with a wide smile on her face.

"Delgaranor!" She cried in delight as she rushed towards the speckled horse. He merely whinnied before pawing at the ground and trotting towards her.

Once she reached the horse, she wrapped her thin arms around his neck in greeting. Del bobbed his head in delight as he was glad to be reunited with his assumed, missing rider.

She gratefully stoked his neck, realizing that he had waited for her. Glancing down at the items at his hooves, she recognized a set of armor for her steed. A faceplate, a neck covering, a chest covering, and a rump cover were among her supplies.

A smile lit her face as she carefully picked up the shining armor. Éomer was watching over her. He was making sure that Del would be fine during the battle. After all, a Rohirric soldier's most prized posetion was his valiant steed.

Oh how she wished he was her brother. For the first time, Quwen was jealous of Éowyn. She had a caring brother and a loving uncle. Quwen had a lost brother and sister.

They may not even be alive.

But once again, Quwen pushed that thought to the back of her mind. She was very good at doing that, keeping dark thoughts at the back of her mind where she would not worry about them.

"Éomer left you here, didn't he?" The female lovingly stoked his nose and he nickered.

Feeling multiple presences come up behind her, she also felt warm smoke billow down onto her. She also felt a snout press itself into her back.

She turned around after a moment to look at Toran. His green eyes glowed warmly and the woman couldn't help but smile.

"Can we eat it?" Tessiea muttered, casting a glance at the horse in front of her. Quwen's eyes widened as she braced herself before all the large creatures. Holding up her hands, she vigorously shook her head.

"No! Del is not for eating! He is a horse and I ride him..." She explained and the dragons took a few steps back. She could see the disappointment on their faces when they were told they couldn't indulge on the tasty creature.

"Are there more horses or is he the only one?" One of the younger Fire-drakes asked, clearly never having seen one of the four legged animals.

"There are thousands of horses but now is not the time to be talking about this! We need to get to Minas Tirith!" Quwen picked up the armor that was provided.

Placing the plating on Del's long face, she made sure that it was tied loosely enough to not cause Del discomfort. She also made sure that the armor fit on his strong neck. Saddling him up, she also placed the rump cover on his rear.

Stepping up into the saddle, the dragons gave her curious looks before they flapped their large wings and took off into the air.

The Cold-drakes said that they wished to run the rest of the way. The claimed that their legs had gotten stiff and they needed to stretch them.

"Let us be off!" She cheered as she spurred Del forward. He seemed comfortable in his new suit of armor. He had worn some in past battles so he did not seem to fidget like other horses would.

Once again, she rode toward the dark cloud covering Mordor, her fiery steed beneath her feet. The dragons' clawed feet pounded on the ground behind her, giving the woman a new sort of confidence that she needed.

* * *

Three days passed that Quwen had to ride to reach Minas Tirith. She only stopped at night to cover as much ground as possible and even then it was only for a few hours.

Del was the one who really needed the rest so she gave the horse a few hours to rest.

They were now on the final leg of the journey and night had fallen once more. In the morning, she would ride into battle with an army of dragons behind her.

Sitting by the dragon made fire that night, Quwen laid on her stomach as she gazed at the mesmerizing flames. Most of them were dozing after having gone hunting. Most of them had been successful in finding some elf or mountain goat to eat.

Quwen warned them not to eat anything inside a fence, for those animals did not belong to her and were not a free meal.

Toran lay with his feet curled beneath him, his green eyes closed in contentment. However, when he heard her yawn, he opened them once more, his curiosity peaking. She had retrieved a book from what she called 'saddlebags'.

Now she seemed to be aimlessly scribbling in the pages with a piece of charcoal in her hands. She continued to glance up at Toran before directing her gaze back at the page.

In Quwen's eyes, the beast were too wonderful to just let them sit there and look majestic. All of them carried a beautiful sense of grace even when they were not in motion. She loved that.

"Lady Quwen?" She turned and looked at him, sleep in her eyes. She clutched the charcoal tightly in her hand as she gazed at him. "Do you often... sing?" He asked suddenly, catching her off guard.

Her hazel eyes opened in surprise but she slowly nodded.

"Would you mind singing for us? It has been along time since we've heard any sort of singing..." The brown dragon explained and the look in his eyes was indescribable.

He just looked so hopeful and young even if he was over five hundred years old.

She slowly shut the book before placing the charcoal on the cover. Opening her mouth, she took a deep breath and let the soft elvish words slip from between her teeth. The dozing dragons were immediately awakened once they had heard the soft singing begin.

Quwen felt their eyes boring into her as she sang, not in hostility but in wonder. It was an old lullaby that her father had once sung her.

He also had a wonderful voice but his was deep and smooth.

The last note escaped her lips and she grew silent once more. Ethrea sat beside her mate and watched the blonde woman sing. When she said that any mortal man would be lucky to have her, the dragoness was not lying.

The woman was beautiful both in mind and body. In her mind, the dragoness had heard whispers about a man, the Heir to the throne of Gondor, in fact. He was the reason that she had set out on this journey.

She had proclaimed her love for him but he had only pushed her away.

Ethrea did not know if she should speak to the woman about it but as she sang, she could hear the heart break in her quiet tones.

It was not long before the woman let exhaustion take over. She had traveled a half a day through the mines and had spent countless hours upon the backs of the dragons, not to mention her own horse.

Yawning loudly, Ethrea watched with delight as the woman rested her head back on her eldest son's paw. She seemed to curl into the warmth that their bodies naturally gave off.

Toran merely looked down at the woman astonished. She was such a trusting creature to just curl up on his clawed paws. Maybe humans were not the most terrible of creatures after all.

* * *

_"Quwen!" The young child turned her head towards her mother's voice. Rushing down the makeshift stairs to the first floor, the long legged girl about fell onto the dirt floor in their home. She managed to catch herself on the railing that was beside the stair well. A childish laugh escaped her throat and her mother simply rolled her eyes as she watched her daughter stumble in._

_She swore that she was a drunk most of the time. Or she was adjusting to her growing limbs like the foals out in the pasture._

_"Yes mother?" The young girl smiled up at the blonde woman. She was near the window and was washing the wooden plates that the family had accumulated over the years. She had to stand a ways back from the table, the prominent bump in her stomach being the cause of that._

_"You father forgot his lunch. Will you take it to him? He has only just left and they shouldn't be far out of the village yet..." She called over her shoulder before going back to washing. Darting over to the table, the child picked up the food wrapped in cloth._

_Throwing open the wooden door, her booted feet pounded across the ground as she raced through the village. She could hear the quiet murmurs of the villagers as she passed by._

_She could not help but smile as she passed. Quwen followed the trail that led away from the village. Her blonde hair blew out behind her as she raced through the trees. As she rounded the corner, the group of horsemen came into view._

_"Father!" She called as she watched the dark haired man ride atop the chocolate brown steed. He turned and his handsome face was already smiling. His stoney grey eyes twinkled and she raced through the group of horses._

_Stopping before the brown mare, she snorted slightly when the familiar child halted before her._

_"You forgot your meal Father!" She held up the wrapped parcel in her fingers. The older man merely chuckled before taking the package from his daughter. Slipping it into his saddlebag, he smiled down at her._

_"Thank you, my love. Now you best be getting home! I'm sure your mother needs help with the horses..." She beamed up at him. She looked so much like her mother and it warmed his heart to see her smile._

_"Have a safe trip!" She called as the horsemen walked around her on their horses. The young girl raced back through the green trees. The Northern country was luscious and green. Spring was upon them and so was the warm weather._

_The flowers were in full bloom and the young Dúnedain children raced about. Quwen stopped in the meadow on her way home. The other children around laughed and played games in the soft grass around them._

_A group of five young girls stood off to the side. They were watching Quwen closely and snickering at her as they gossiped._

_"Oh, Quwen!" The blonde girl raised her head, a clump of flowers in her hands. She thought her mother would enough the bright blues and yellows and use it to decorate their small home._

_The group of dark haired children parted and let the eldest girl step forward._

_"Hello, Ela!" Quwen greeted before picking a blooming daisy. She tucked it into the clump of flowers before standing up to the fourteen year old child. The dark haired beauty frowned at how happy the smaller child seemed to be._

_"You seem to be cheerful as always..." Ela tugged on the younger girl's hair, eliciting a yelp from her. Quwen snatched her golden hair away before her brows furrowed in worry. "You and your beautiful golden hair..."_

_"Yes, I know my hair is beautiful. What do you want?" Quwen played with it subconsciously._

_"Even if you do have beautiful hair, you are only an inbred mutt!" Ela told the daughter of the Ranger. Quwen's eyes began to water and she only covered her ears. "Nothing ever comes good from Rohan..."_

_"Stop it!" Quwen cried as the girl's harsh words came through the flesh of her hands. The girls continued to pick on the smaller girl, sneers on their faces as they made fun of her foreign beauty._

_"Your father's mad! Who would ever want to marry a woman who smells of horse manure all day!"_

_"Do you bleach your hair? I bet you do!"_

_"No one with ever love Quwen, the half breed of the North..." Ela hissed as she crossed her arms over her chest. However, she wasn't paying attention as the younger girl jumped on her. Both of them collapsed to the ground, Ela weak from her soft life._

_Quwen however was not._

_For being smaller than the girl beneath her, Quwen held her own. Using her weight to keep her on the ground, Quwen's small fists beat against the dark haired girl's cheeks. Soon, she began to sob as the girl beat her._

_Angry tears fell down Quwen's face. How dare they disrespect her parents. How dare they disrespect her._

_It took another moment for the girls to realize what was happening. Working together, they pulled the blonde fighter away and she fell onto her rump in the process. She staggered to her feet but not long after, a hand slapped itself across her cheek._

_Quwen's head snapped to the side, pain radiating from the burning skin. Turning back to look at Ela with furry blazing in her hazel eyes, the younger girl leapt once more. Tackling Ela to the ground, the two rolled around a bit before Quwen once more sat atop Ela's back._

_Grabbing a fistful of hair, the fiery blonde shoved her face into the muddy ground beneath them. It had rained the night before, leaving the ground slightly wet._

_Seeing the vicious mood Quwen was in, the other girls only managed to pull her off Ela. The girl lay on the ground, her face covered in mud and tears rolling down her cheeks. Seeing the sad appearance of the girl, Quwen couldn't help but crack a grin._

_"You will never again speak of my family that way... Or else you won't even look this pretty next time..." Quwen warned before walking away. She had some mud and blood on her clothes from the fight._

_The boys who had been playing in the field stopped when they heard the fight. Their dark eyes all followed the blonde girl as she walked back towards her home near the busier part of the village._

_The girls were wrong. Someone would definitely love Quwen. Even at a young age, her future beauty was evident and by just looking at her mother, she would be a lovely lady._

* * *

Quwen was falling. The odd sensation entered her stomach and she opened her eyes. The feeling lasted only a moment later when she fell to the ground.

With confusion in her eyes, she looked up at Toran who had been the one to lift his foot. Noticing that the sky had lightened, Quwen watched as the sun peeked over the mountain range. Holding up her hand, she watched as the orb rose slowly in the sky.

Most of the dragons were still resting peacefully, although Toran was now awake after he felt his charge leave her spot.

He yawned loudly and when he opened his mouth, a small fireball floated in the air. The warmth from the fire warmed Quwen's tired body up and she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

Today she would ride into battle. Today, she would fight for the freedom of Middle Earth.

Bringing her fingers to her lips, Quwen placed them in her mouth and let out a shrill sound. Twenty seven out of thirty dragons were awake in the next few seconds. A few of the older Cold-drakes continued to doze whilst Toran's rather fat brother snored towards the edge of the camp.

With amusement, Quwen smiled as she watched Tessiea kick her brother hard in the side. A cloud of smoke escaped his nose on impact and she couldn't help but chuckle.

She could hear the dragon groan from her place in the center of the camp, all the beasts seemed to have circled around her. She had never felt more safe in her life. However, someone was missing.

As she spied the tack to her right, she smirked slightly as she placed her fingers in her mouth before she adjusted her tongue. A lower tone came out this time and she heard a loud whinny from behind the huge mass of dragons.

Glancing around Toran's large wing, she watched as Del came trotting up to her, still chewing some grass he hand been nibbling on. He greeted his rider with a slight bob of his head, causing the woman to laugh. Oh, how she had missed him.

After eating a small meal of lembas and other nuts she found around the area, they were once again off and on their way to Pelennor Fields.

* * *

Gandalf peered over the edge of the city and watched as the black ships sailed into the ports. His face was slightly befallen but once he saw that the deck was empty of crew members, he couldn't help but smile.

Watching as three small figures leapt from the black boats, he felt pride swell in him. The King was returning to his home.

Hearing cries of distress, the wizard turned his eyes to the only remaining side of the battle field. This part was a long stretch of land and it appeared as though a thick mist was rolling onto the battle field. What evil had Sauron conjured now?

The soldiers around him cried out in confusion as a small speck could be seen riding out of the mist. The thick fog seemed to cling to his figure for a second, leaving a wispy trail of clouds behind him.

A flash of silver alerted him that a blade was present and all was silent on the battle field for a moment before a wall of laughter seemed to crawl all throughout the orc army. One rider against thousands? What good would he do?

However, the smile fell from the orcs' faces when they watched as dragons ripped through the mist. It seemed to cling to them as well but the dragons blew fire into the air, some with devious smiles on their faces.

The beasts ran and flew towards the offending armies. Looking back to the boats, Gandalf saw the trio of friends staring wide eyed at the approaching monsters, thinking them to be that of Sauron's aid.

Gandalf could only beam once more. Quwen had done it. She had brought the dragons with her.

The colorful beasts tore into the mix of battle. Orcs screamed as they were roasted alive, goblins cried out as they were impaled on razor sharp talons. The single warrior rode into the mess on horseback, no harm be falling her.

The ghostly army soon came to the aid of the Rohirric from the opposing side of the battlefield. They swept across the land, killing anything vile that moved. Sauron's army was being squeezed from both sides.

The orcs in the center began to cry out in terror. They had no where to go and they would be meeting an unfortunate end.

* * *

Quwen chose to ride Del into battle. That was how it had been and that was how it would always be. His armor gleamed under the rays of sunlight. The dragons seemed to melt away some of the darkness with their magic.

Her own sword ran in the air as she sliced through the orcs around her. Even with the dragons, this battle would take some time. A sudden blow from a fireball knocked both her and Del to the ground.

Luckily, neither were hurt in the process. Clambering to her feet, Quwen wielded Manadhon in her fingerless gloved hands. The orcs shrieked at the sight of the dragonbringer and turned from her to flee.

Del whinnied loudly beside her, as if urging her to mount him once more. However she shook her head. Her swordsmanship was better when she was not on horseback. Also, she wished that Del would not get hurt.

Shouting to him in elvish, she warned the horse to retreat from the mix. With an angry couple of stomps from his hooves, the horse fled from the battle field and out of her sight.

Hearing the inhuman scream, Quwen winced. She covered her hands with her ears, knowing exactly who that sound belonged to. A Fell Beast swooped low at her and she dove to the ground to avoid his attack.

Her hazel eyes watched the black creature leave. It dipped low once more, scooping up another handful of soldiers that were fighting against Sauron.

"Toran!" She yelled as an idea struck her. Her eyes once more searched the skies and she about screamed as she was lifted from the ground. Being tossed up into the air, Quwen landed hard on the back of her rusty brown protector.

"That was not funny!" She growled, lightly slapping his strong scales. He only chuckled for a moment before he looked back at her. "We need to be rid of the Fell Beasts!"

Using his powerful wings, he propelled himself through the air and towards the horrible black creatures. Soaring up higher, Quwen held onto the harness that was still in place. The beast below was completely unaware that the dragon was above it.

This one was without rider and caused Quwen's stomach to rumbled with uncertainty. What if they were being stalked right now?

Toran dove at the creature. Hitting the dragon's dark cousin hard, Quwen was almost jostled off the brown beast. Gripping more tightly onto the harness, she made sure that she would not fall and plummet to the ground hundreds of feet below them.

The Fell Beast cried out as Toran ripped at him with his claws. He would never admit it but it felt good to slay those who had kept him in the dark depths of Moria all those years.

* * *

Aragorn watched in awe as the singular rider galloped down the hill, sword raised. From this distance, Aragorn could barely make out the color of the horse. However, Legolas was the one to smirk.

With his elven eyes, Legolas could easily make out the familiar face that was their Northern friend. Oh how wrong Aragorn was. She could not just remain at the camp or in Rohan.

No, she went and brought back a whole army of dragons who he believed to be extinct. None on the battle field could believe what they were witnessing. Thirty dragons fought against the forces of Sauron. They seemed to bring the sunlight with them and the men could feel the courage spark in them once more.

The beasts took to the air and were fighting against their dark cousins. The ghostly army swarmed around them but the dwarf and elf had already taken to fighting in the battle.

Aragorn hesitated for a moment as he watched someone riding on the back of one of the dragons. They were fighting with a Fell Beast and they tumbled through the air towards him.

The black beast escaped the clutched of the strong dragon, barely missing the flame the dragon released from his lungs. Aragorn flinched slightly as the flames came to close to him.

However, Aragorn was able to catch a glimpse at however this dragonrider was. They seemed to clutch to a rope harness that was tied around the beast. It explained how they were able to remain on the back of the creature as it twisted and writhed in the air.

A flash of gold was all that he saw. His jaw dropped open as he realized just exactly who the rider was.

This whole time, he believed her to be back in Rohan with the King's niece, her heart broken and laying around her in thousands of pieces. But, oh no. Here she was, having a battle in the skies on the back of an extinct creature.

* * *

"Toran! He is behind us!" She called as she looked over her shoulder. The dragon rolled away from the beast, keeping his wings closer to his body so that he could dodge the claws of the black beast.

When the beast passed, Toran spread his great wings once more before giving chase to the dragon again. Climbing once more higher into the air, the brown dragon shot down from the sky and slammed into the Fell Beast.

Toran captured it in his razor sharp claws, using them to rip the poor beast apart. Quwen felt satisfaction rise in her chest at the sight of the terrible creature being killed.

Catching movement out of the corner of her eye, all she saw was a flash of black before the dragon below her disappeared.

A scream ripped through her throat as she tumbled head over heel. The ground was quickly approaching and Quwen's hazel eyes widened. She was falling to her death, she would die in a matter of moments.

Only feet from the ground, a clawed paw wrapped around the Lady. Her face burned from the wind and her chest heaved up and down as she tried to regain her breath. Clutching at the clawed foot that held her, she looked up at the rose red dragon.

"Brother needs to do a better job looking after you..." Tessiea smirked as she carried the woman back towards the mentioned dragon. However, a ghastly sight met her eyes.

"Anloric!" The dragoness hissed towards her older brother. He only smirked and flames bellowed from his mouth. His scales were reinforced with crude black armor covered in spikes. Toran swooped down to float in the air beside his sister, noticing his charge grasped in her foot.

"Lovely, the human didn't die! I wouldn't want to disobey my master's orders now would I?" The black and red dragon seemed to smile gleefully as he looked at the armored female in his sister's clutches.

"Master?" Toran growled as he narrowed his eyes.

"Oh I didn't tell you? I serve Sauron now..." Both his siblings weren't shocked to learn of his betrayal but they were nonetheless disappointed.

"Why?" The rose dragon asked quietly. Her brother only looked at her momentarily before his eyes seemed to soften some.

"He has promised us freedom!"

"And Lady Quwen has also promised us our freedom!" Toran stood up for the woman who was about to protest but was quieted by the large male.

"Yes but she cannot guarantee us! Besides, the humans would limit our food sources and would take away our treasure! Sauron has agreed that we could feast on the humans and take their treasure for ourselves... All he asks is that we help him!"

"He has been whispering lies in your ear brother! Come back and join the fight for what is right!"

"Never!" He hissed.

"We will not hesitate to attack you!" Toran growled as he puffed out his chest in a silent warning. Anloric only smirked at his siblings.

"Tessiea... You should join us..." He cooed to his younger sister. Looking up at Toran, she saw the warning in them. But, she also loved her black and red brother. Looking between the two of them for a second, she sighed heavily as she made her decision.

"I will not..." She whimpered before her brother growled in outrage. He dove at the two of them, his air was more centered on the smaller female dragon. She gracefully twirled to the right before he once again came at her. However, he was not aimed exactly at her.

"You pesky human! This is all your fault!" His teeth snapped together inches away from the woman's face. Her hazel eyes widened and she tightly clutched onto the scaly leg of Tessiea.

The chase was afoot and Tessiea continued to fly through the air, always barely avoiding her brother.

"Anloric, leave them alone!" Toran growled as he gave chase to his black sibling. He slammed into the other dragon and the two tumbled through the air, jaws snapping and claws scrapping against scales.

The two landed heavily on the ground, killing about eight orcs in the process. They continued to tumbled over one another before Toran got a tight hold of his brother's tail. The black creature howled in pain before he kicked his hind leg into the brown dragon's face.

He released his tail and they all watched as the black dragon flew off. They thought him gone for a moment and pushed their brother to the back of their mind.

Quwen was once again placed on the ground and she felt as though her feet were nonexistent. She collapsed to the ground after being placed back on her feet. Toran only snorted as he landed beside his sister. Quwen merely rolled her eyes before using his scaly leg as a support.

Standing, she stumbled a bit but remained on her toes. The orcs around them scurried away from the looming beasts and the dragons even roasted some of them with their intense fires.

The battle seemed to be coming to a close, only a handful of orcs remained but they were trying to flee across the battle field and were picked off by the Cold-drakes or the Rohirrim.

A green glow began to form around them. Quwen watched with terror as the King of the Dead stepped towards her. Her eyes were locked on the vile creature as he stepped towards her.

"Quwen..." He whispered her name and reached out towards her. His ghostly hand was almost at her cheek and she closed her eyes. She felt the warmth leave her breath and a puff of mist came out of her throat. Everything was so cold.

"Enough!" A familiar voice snapped. Quwen instantly opened her eyes in surprise. The Dead King's ghostly hand was almost upon her cheek. He stared with hateful eyes towards the dark haired man who stepped forward, still weary of the dragons.

"Quwen..." He breathed and Quwen couldn't help the smile on her face. Yes, he had hurt her but she was still glad to see him among the living and not the deceased.

"Aragorn..." She breathed right back before taking a few steps closer. Neither could believe the other was there in that moment. They both believed to be either dead or far off and safe. Before Quwen could believe what was happening, Aragorn strode forward and embraced her tightly.

After the shock lessened, she wrapped her own arms around him in greeting and she could feel him smile as he held her. Another moment passed before the stepped out of one another's embrace.

"Shouldn't you be in Rohan?" He raised a dark eyebrow at her. A smirk formed on her lips after a moment, the familiar twinkle coming in her hazel eyes.

"I'm not one to follow orders... You should know that by now..." She teased.

"And that is the sad part! Legolas was right! I should have tied you to the oak tree..." He grumbled under his breath and Quwen raised both her eyebrows in surprise.

"You were contemplating tying me up?"

"Only for a moment but that thought was quickly tossed away..."

"So you chose to break my heart instead?" She asked, her tone surprisingly calm. She had not been able to keep the words in her mouth and they seemed to flow without a single thought.

Aragorn rubbed the back of his neck for a moment, unsure as to how to handle the situation. However, he was saved by the flapping of multiple large wings. They both watched as more dragons came to land next to Tessiea and Toran. The large black leader strode forward.

"Oh, yes!" Quwen jumped slightly as she remembered her promise. Drawing out her fine long sword, she held it before her. "You have fulfilled your oath, my friends. In the name of the King of Gondor and Chieftain of the Dúnedain people... I grant you your freedom!" All the dragons around her cheered, causing her own lips to smile.

Some breathed fire into the air and Toran had a merry twinkle in his eye as he gazed down at his charge.

Turning back to Aragorn, Quwen noticed the slightly confused look upon his face. "What did I just grant them?" He whispered.

"Their freedom... They believed that they were trapped in the Mines of Moria for some odd reason..." She whispered right back with a slight smile twitching at her lips. The ranger only shrugged his shoulders before gazing back up at the beasts.

"Oh, but with some exceptions of course!" Quwen saw some of the dragon's faces fall as she added those words in. "Nothing serious! Just you can't burn villages and devour live stock. Wild animals only!" She scolded them slightly as pointed at Toran in particular.

Aragorn noticed this and wondered why she was so close to the brown dragon in particular. A rumble swept across the group of dragons before they became quiet once more. Quwen sheathed her blade and placed her hands on her hips, looking very motherly.

"So what are you waiting for? Off with you!" She waved her hands at them and without another word, the dragons took off into the air. They had picked up the Cold-drakes and would be headed back to the North now. Toran however paused an extra moment.

"Father, wait!" He called to the large black dragon who looked back at his son.

"I... I wish to remain here with Lady Quwen..." The brown dragon bowed his head slightly, waiting for his father's final word. Glauren merely looked down upon his eldest soon, smoke steadily billowing from his nostrils.

His large eyes darted back and forth between the woman and the dragon before he gave a small smile.

"Then so be it!" Toran's head snapped up in surprise. He had believed that his father would have ordered his return to his family. Without another word, Glauren flew off. Ethrea and Tessiea bid him farewell, as did the other children before leaving after their father and mate.

Remembering his honor, Aragorn quickly released the King of the Dead, the cold feeling leaving with them. The two mortals stood beside the dragon and looked around at the mess that had occurred during the battle.

"We have a lot of work to do..." Quwen grumbled as she looked at the hundreds of bodies that were littered around them. Aragorn merely chuckled before taking in her slightly disheveled form, noticing that she had not a scratch on her. He wondered how she came out of the battle without any injury.

Quwen could feel his eyes on her as they roamed her face. Her hands moved across her body and she searched for any sore place where injury might have occurred. However, she found none.

The Lady was slightly amazed as she checked herself over and a small laugh escaped her lips.

"May I remind you, my lady, that the magic of dragons protects those who are fearless?" Toran told her, slightly amused. She could only glare at her friend for a moment before a smile lit her face.

"You didn't have to be smart about it..." She grumbled as she kicked a burnt orc's corpse who lay a few feet away. The whole battlefield was covered in a terrible stench. However, the clouds around the city had disappeared entirely and bathed the White City in a heathy glow.

As her eyes took in the scene before her, she felt a thump rise in her throat. As Boromir had said, it was one of the most beautiful sights to ever behold. And it was. Even in with its white walls destroyed, the beauty still radiated from it as the light shone down upon it.

Aragorn watched Quwen take in the sight of the White City, a warmth swelling in the bottom of his stomach. The sun shone down into her long hair and a smile came onto his face just at the sight of her. He must tell her before danger befalls them again.

"Quwen... I love-" She turned to face him but she did not hear his words as the beating of wings filled her ears. She turned and looked at Aragorn with terror in her eyes. Diving on top of him, she knocked him out of the way of the large clawed paw that reached for him.

However, it did not spare her own freedom. The talons wrapped around her armored body and pulled her away from Aragorn. He reached out and caught ahold of her arms, only for her to be stripped away from him.

"QUWEN!" He screamed as he raced after the creature on foot. A large shadow passed over his head and the brown dragon who decided to stay with them, took off after the large black beast.

"Anloric!" Toran hissed as he slammed into his brother's body. The blow was so hard, it caused the black dragon to lose his grip on the woman. She fell through the air, only to be caught by one of the Fell Beasts.

A Nazgûl's cry came to her ears and she cringed. Feeling a sudden bout of sleepiness waif over her, her eyelids drooped until they covered her hazel eyes, Aragorn's face the last thing in their reflection.

"QUWEN!" Aragorn screamed as he raced on foot after her again. The two battling dragons crashed to the ground, cashing him to stumble. Lifting his stoney blue eyes to the sky once more, he watched with hopelessness as the Fell Beast flew away with the limp form of the woman in his terrible claws.

* * *

**I know! I'm terrible but I had to end it there! Ah!**

**Aragorn was going to tell her you know what! I thought it was a bit ironic how he was all like 'I better tell her before any more danger comes upon us...' **

**Hate to break it to you bro, but it wasn't soon enough. **

**Will Quwen die and leave our King heart broken? Who will win the fight between the two dragon brothers? Where is Del? Did Gimli ever beat Legolas? Is Denethor still alive? Was Boromir hurt in the attack? Will she ask anymore questions?**

**Nope. **

**Thanks for all the wonderful reviews and keep reading!**

**Love, **

**Blue**


	9. Chapter 9

**Third Person's POV**

_The door to the small home flew open. The woman repairing her husband's tunic looked up from her work. She was expecting some men from another village, for they were interested in her horses._

_However, a young blonde girl stormed in. Her clothing was covered in mud and blood. She was a rather terrible sight to behold. Her hair was a tangled mess as was the bottom of her skirt. Silent tears were rolling down her muddy cheeks._

_Knowing that her daughter was a bit of a spitfire, the woman went back to stitching the cut in the tunic, deciding to let the young girl cool down from her anger. However, upon hearing a small whimper, the woman sighed and placed her work aside._

_Groaning with effort, the Rohan woman began to climb to her feet. In a moment, her daughter was across the room and helping her very pregnant mother up._

_"Mother! Father said that you need to rest! The baby will be here soon!"_

_After the woman was up, she balanced the weight out on her feet and grasped onto her daughter's slender shoulder. Letting out a small sigh of relief, she turned and looked at the girl._

_"Now, what is wrong, my sweet?" She cooed down to her daughter. Hazel met hazel and reaching up, the woman whipped the tears off her dirty face. Quwen sniffed as she gathered her thoughts. She had not been harmed in the fight, so she was not crying because of pain._

_Her mother was a bit weary of the blood on her clothes though. Seeing how her daughter did not answer, Arya changed the subject._

_"Whose blood is this?" She tugged on one of the sleeves of her daughter's shirt. Her hazel eyes darted to the ground, knowing she was about to get a scolding. And when her mother scolded, she was rather terrifying._

_Mumbling under her breath, Arya narrowed her eyes. "What did you say?"_

_"Ela's..." Bending down to the little girl's level, she pushed her hair behind her ear so she could hear more clearly. Knowing that her mother wanted the true answer, the blonde girl swallowed._

_"Ela's!" She said in a strong voice, knowing that her mother would find out eventually. The woman went rigid before letting out a frustrated groan. She walked away from her daughter with a hand scrubbing over her face._

_"Quwen, what have I told you!?" The woman leaned heavily on the table near the window._

_"You told me to behave..."_

_"And fighting is what?"_

_"Misbehaving?"_

_"Exactly!" She threw her hands up over her head. Quwen merely frowned at her mother, knowing that getting her angry would be bad for the baby who was due to deliver very soon._

_"It wasn't my fault..."_

_"Quwen, you know we don't start fights..." Shooting her daughter a harsh glare, it softened slightly when she saw the innocence in her hazel eyes. Pulling her beloved daughter to her, she placed a kiss atop her head. "We finish them..." She murmured into her daughter's golden strands._

_Pulling back, she made note of the small smile on her face._

_"It is a good thing that your father was not here when this occurred... He would have given you chores for a month!"_

_"Father would have thought me brave!"_

_"And why is that?"_

_"I was defending our family's name and honor..." The older blonde was surprised at how wise her daughter was as she stood before her. She had indeed inherited the wisdom that her husband possessed. The woman looked to her daughter, waiting for her to explain further._

_"She wondered why father would marry a woman of Rohan..." Her lip began to tremble as she thought of the girl's horrible words once more. Inhaling deeply, she steeled herself to share the next part of the conversation. "And... She called me the ' half breed of the North'..."_

_The tears fell freely once more. Pulling her daughter to her chest, the woman held the young girl as she sobbed. She knew her daughter was strong but sometimes, one just had to let their emotions fall freely our else they would build on the inside._

_"Shh... Quwen..." She cooed as she stroked her blonde hair. Placing another kiss atop her head, the woman pulled back from her child's dirtied face._

_"She also said that no man would ever love me..."_

_"Well she was lying... When I was your age, I believed the same thing. Who would ever love a smelly horse girl? Then one day, an even smellier Ranger came from the North and fell in love with me. Do you know who that man was?" Quwen looked confused before she slowly shook her head._

_"Your father..." Arya explained and watched as her hazel eyes widened. "You just have to be patient and love will always come and find you... Even when you are at least expecting it..." The Rohan woman winked and Quwen giggled._

_"Now, if you'll be a dear and fetch me some water?" She reached across the table and handed the water bucket to the younger version of herself. The child nodded her head after a moment's hesitation before she opened the door and took off once again._

_Running through the small village, the girl soon arrived at the well. Pulling the bucket up from the bottom, the girl dumped the fresh water into the pail. Using the remaining liquid, the girl scrubbed furiously at her face. Looking down into the reflection of the water, Quwen deemed herself clean enough for now. She could take a bath later._

_Walking slowly back to the house, the girl made sure not to spill any of the remaining of the clear water. It did not take her long to reach their small home once more. Pushing open the door, Quwen sat the water on the table._

_She suddenly heard a groan and she looked over near the fireplace. Her mother was leaning on the wall, clutching her belly._

_"Mother!? What's wrong!?"_

_"Quwen, the baby is coming!" The woman said through gritted teeth. The young girl's heart stopped beating. "You need to go get help!"_

_Without another thought, the blonde girl was off once more. Her small feet beat against the ground as she ran toward the house that belonged to the lone healer of the village._

_Bursting into the home, Quwen didn't even bother knocking._

_"My mother is having her child!" She screamed at the lady healer who looked as pale as a ghost. It took the woman a moment to realize what was happening before she began to pack things into a bag._

_"You must retrieve your father! I know that he left only a short while ago and you must find him!" The older woman urged. Her apprentice also emerged from the back of the home, as the teenager had been sent to retrieve herbs._

_Quwen was pushed out the door and the woman locked it behind her. The two rushed towards her home and Quwen followed along behind them. As they came upon their small house, a whiney could be heard from the pasture behind their home._

_An idea suddenly bloomed in the back of her mind and the Ranger's daughter ran toward the noise. Coming to a stop before the gate, the horses raised their heads as the female gazed at them with wonder in her eyes._

_Climbing over the fence, the girl spared no other thought than to find a horse to go chase after her father with._

_The horses towered over her as she gazed up at them. A rather large brown horse snorted down at her, yet he showed her no hostility. It was the biggest out of all the other horses and she had seen it pull wagons before._

_A honey colored mare lazily chewed a clump of hay she had found in their feed trough. A reddish brown mare also stood by her side. The two females seemed to be content with one another._

_And right on the rump of the roan mare, stood a young stallion. He held his head high and he snorted down at the girl. There was a fiery glint in his eyes and Quwen knew that this was the young horse her mother wanted to sell._

_He was a pain in the woman's rear. No one in the village could even ride him. His coat was beautiful. It was a reddish brown color and it was speckled with white spots, giving the steed a unique coat. The young girl figured that the roan beside him was his mother._

_Many times Quwen had been told that her mother had brought back a mare bred with a Mearas stallion that had resided in the wilds near Rohan. This must have been the colt._

_He snorted down at her and pranced in his place. Mearas where known to be a wild breed but seeing as how this one was already caught in a fence, he was slightly more tame. Her mother had been able to pet him and feed him treats but no how long the woman tried, she could not ride him._

_Quwen's father could not even ride him. However, seeing him running through the vast pasture during the summers, Quwen knew that he was the fastest of all their horses._

_"I need your help..." She told him in a quiet voice. Her hazel eyes were trained on his tall form. "My mother... She's giving birth to a child and I need to reach my father..."_

_He snorted at her once more. He reached his long neck out and sniffed at her fingers as she held them out. He let her small fingers touch his soft nose. He breathed in, inhaling her scent and her mother had told her that horses could tell if a person was trustworthy by their smell._

_Apparently, Quwen was trustworthy enough. For the speckled colt turned his rump her way. At first, she believed that he was rejecting her. Yet, as he looked over his shoulder and nickered, Quwen knew she would reach her father in time._

_Flying over a log, the colt seemed to eat up the ground with his long legs. His hooves pounded on the ground and Quwen couldn't help but smile as she raced towards her father. Following along the familiar path, the trees flew past her._

_The young child didn't waste time with a saddle or bridle for that matter. It had been as though the stallion had understood her words and had complied with her every wish._

_Keeping both hands buried deeply in his reddish hair, she bounced up and down. She rode upon his back as if she had been for years before. However, this was the first time someone had rode this fiery steed._

_Roaner stopped as he heard the thundering of hooves racing quickly towards him. Thinking it to be bandits, he drew his glorious long sword and he turned his chocolate mare around. The other rangers followed their leaders actions and faced the oncoming attackers._

_However, the dark haired man was stunned when his daughter burst around the corner on the back of the untamable speckled colt._

_"Quwen?"_

_"The baby is coming!" She cried as the horse beneath her panted. Not in exhaustion, but in excitement. Exhcanging a few looks with his men, they nodded and the man was off and following behind his daughter._

_They reached the village in a matter of minutes and the girl quickly guided the horses back into the pasture. Her father had left to go check on his wife and it was not long before the child also entered the home._

_The first noise that she heard was the crying of an infant in her home. Or to be more exact, two infants. Confusion crossed over her face. Her hazel eyes were drawn to the back room where she knew her parents' room to be._

_Walking through the doorway, her eyes softened as she watched as her parents were huddled together and were beaming down at the two babies in either of their arms. Their were both wrapped in a soft cloth and his father was holding one, his mother the younger._

_The image of her parents and siblings were forever engraved in her mind. They looked perfect together. They looked perfect without Quwen._

* * *

Her head weakly lolled to the side as she began to regain conciousness. Her body felt so stiff and tired. The image of her family was still fresh before her eyes. It was true, they had been perfect without her.

Trying to roll over, she heard the clanging of chains and was aware of the heaviness around her wrists. She was faintly aware of the fact that her arms were bound, stretched out at her sides. Chains also dangled from her ankles.

Her toes were also cold and she realized that she was without boots. There was no ground beneath her toes, she was hanging from the wall. The rest of her person also felt bare and she faintly realized that her armor was also gone. It also appeared that most of her clothing was gone, save for her trousers and royal blue tunic.

Her leather jerkin was gone. Taking the warmth with it. A chill in the darkness caused her to shiver and she took in a deep breath. The cold air bit at her lungs and she winced slightly. It burned her throat.

Opening her eyes, she realized that she was in a pitch black room. If something were in front of her, she would probably not be able to see it at the moment.

Something, not to far away from where she was at, moved. It sounded as if it were outside a door and someone was shuffling along in the hallway. The sound seemed to be getting closer and suddenly, light flooded the room.

The red light burned her hazel eyes and she narrowed them as she tried to focus on the approaching figure.

"Aragorn?" She whispered, thinking the figure to be the man who she last remembered. However, as the figure continued to get closer, she realized that he was not the Ranger she loved.

"You can only wish, sweetheart..." An ugly orc growled. Quwen's dirty face frowned as she took in his disgusting appearance. Her hair was tangled around her and she looked to be worse for wear. Her stomach also rumbled with hunger and she cursed it at the moment. The orc seemed to hear her stomach's distress and he smiled a toothy grin.

"I'm sorry, _my Lady_, you're going to have to wish for food as well..." He sneered at her. She simply narrowed her eyes at him again. "It is wonderful that you are awake now though! Give it a few days and _He_ will wish to speak with you..." He growled and she felt unease stir in her stomach. Who exactly was _He_?

"And you..." He took a few steps forward before grasping her chin in his grimy hands and titled her face upward. Using his other hand, he pinched her nose shut, easily cutting off her airway. "Need to sleep..."

Another orc approached with a bowl in his hands. Gasping for air through her mouth, she quickly sealed her lips back up once more. The orcs growled at her struggle and the second drew out a long knife from its sheath. Quwen's eyes widened and she swallowed nervously, trying to contain her fear of the long blade.

With one swift stab to the thigh, Quwen's lips parted in a pained gasp. Finding their opportunity, the orc dumped the contents of the bowl into her mouth. The sickly sweet liquid dripped down her throat no matter how hard she resisted.

Numbness began to creep into her system, the center being her throat. She slowly began to grow drowse and her eyelids grew heavier with every passing moment. _Not this again..._ She thought before the blackness took hold of her.

* * *

_The ringing of swords filled her ears as she walked behind the small home. The girl, now of sixteen years of age, had a slight smile on her face. Her hair swished against her back with every step she took. It was tied back in a braid but the long hair still managed to move about relatively freely._

_She was dressed as a man was and she crept along the hedge surrounding the small practice area behind the home._

_Her trusty blade was strapped to her side, her hand resting upon the hilt. It was not a very fine blade, for their were pieces missing from the metal and the hilt was worn from the many hands that had used it before her. _

_Moving through the undergrowth, she peered out from behind a thick tree. Her hazel eyes sparkled as she watched the group of young men spar. One among them was not so young._

_"Move your feet!" The older man growled as he swung at the older boy. Following the instructions perfectly, the dark haired boy was able to evade some of the older man's attacks. It was not long before the young boy was panting._

_There was a loud thud as the older man's blade sunk into the tree Quwen was standing behind. The blonde quickly ducked out of the way and made sure to keep herself hidden, for fear of getting caught._

_The older man moved with an odd sense of grace and moments later, the sword went flying from the boy's hands. His blue eyes widened in disbelief and the man calmly stepped forward and pressed the tip of his fine blade into the boy's throat._

_The other boys clapped for their mentor who, after a moment, lowered his blade. As he did so, a long sigh escaped the dark haired man's lips._

_"Quwen... It is no use hiding any longer..." The girl froze at the man's words. She was caught. The blonde winced slightly before stepping out from behind the tree and smiling slightly at the teacher._

_"What did I tell you about watching from the woods?" She sighed and recited the words that had been forced into her brain many a time._

_"It is no use sneaking through the trees... Rangers always know that you're there..." She grumbled before casting a sour look to the boys who had been watching with mischievous smirks on their faces._

_"Isn't that right, lads?" The man turned to his group of recruits. They all suddenly panicked and nodded their heads. The idiots. They hadn't even known that she was there. Quwen had made sure that she had been silent as the grave. She hadn't even stepped on a twig._

_"Next time, just greet us like a normal person would!" The teacher lightly scolded. Quwen adverted her eyes to the ground, feeling like a child once more. It was rather humiliating to be scolded in front of her practice mates. _

_"Yes, Father..." She grumbled and the boys behind the man snickered. The female cast them another hostel look which silenced them immediately._

_"I take it you are here for training?" The young woman bobbed her head in answer to his question. It was known that his daughter was the lone female in the village that bothered to spend her time learning to wield a blade. _

_Both her parents were rather proud. She was not only learning to defend herself but she was learning to defend her people. _

_"Well, come along then!" He motioned with his sword to the small dirt circle in the center of the trees. "Thanion will spar with you!" Said boy looked up from where he had been kicking a clump of dirt. His grey green eyes were wide with fear as he looked at the woman before her. He slowly stepped forward into the ring, his face calmed once more. _

_He slowly drew his blade out from its scabbard and he calmly held it before him. Quwen followed his actions and drew her own blade out. Both were still for a moment before Thanion went in for a strike. _

_Quwen twisted to the side and forced his blade into the ground. _

_"Come on, Dusk! Is that all you've got?" She teased and watched as his green eyes steeled. Quwen couldn't help but smile slightly which caused his anger to flare. He didn't even seem to react to his second name any longer. He used to loathe anyone who used that name. It seemed as though he had finally accepted it._

_He had received his name only a year or so ago. The boy had gotten lost out in the woods one night. It was very dark and the only way the men had found them was when he had shouted and screamed for help. Any young Ranger-to-be should have been able to easily find his way back. _

_It was hardly even dark. One could say it was closer to... dusk. _

_Swinging his blade around, he brought it towards her head. Blocking it with her own blade, she kept both hands on the hilt and used her ever growing strength to keep his blade back. Pushing him away, they circled another once more. Her hazel eyes sparkled with mirth and a slight smile twitched at her lips. _

_It appeared as though Dusk was determined to beat the young woman. _

_"Protect your exposed sides..." He watied for her to attack and she did but she made sure to keep all her sides defended as her father had said. The dark haired boy swung at her once more and she ducked under his blade. Using his exposed weakness, Quwen dug her shoulder into his side. _

_He fell to the ground in a heap, the air knocked from his lungs. His sword tumbled away from his fingers and he tried reaching for it but she kicked it away. He turned over to face her and was greeted by the old blade that she had in her hands. _

_Holding his hands up in defeat, Quwen accepted his loss and helped him to his feet. She helped brush the dirt from his clothing and straighten out his hair that was a mess. Her fingers gently worked through his tangled locks before she stood back and beamed._

_"There, everything is better once more! I didn't even damage your handsome face!" All the boys snickered and instinctively, their eyes turned to the boy she had fought days ago. "...Like Freron!" The boy had two black eyes and an extremely twisted nose._

_She had been building quite a reputation as a fine swordsmen in the last couple of months. _

_"Alright, boys! You best be getting home, its starting to get late!" Roaner had chuckled when his daughter had pointed out the poor boy with the twisted nose. It had been a rather comical fight. Freron was a known pest in the village so he got what he deserved in the older man's eyes. _

_The boys began to disperse and funnel out of the small clearing. _

_"I will see you at home, my love. I must attend to other matters... Tell your mother I will be home for dinner!" He strode from the clearing and he walked with the boys back towards the village. _

_She stayed behind for a few moments. She leaned against the base of a tree and just relaxed back, letting the warm breeze ghost over her skin. It was nice to have a moment of silence to call her own. The twins had turned five a couple weeks ago. _

_Her mother had often left Quwen in charge of the two siblings as she would slip out the back door to go for a long ride on one of the horses. It had not been a pleasant experience. Ever since the twins had been born, their small house had been very noisy. _

_Quwen did not like noise. _

_After a moment of blissful silence, she made to leave by following the other path that lead to their small home._

_Playing with the ends of her long hair, her eyes were glued to the end of her golden braid. A twig snapped behind her. In a single moment, her hair was dropped and forgotten. Instead, her fingers were wrapped around the hilt of her sword, ready to gut whatever was behind her. _

_"Dusk!" The grip on her sword lessened. The blade had only escaped a few inches and remained in the scabbard. Her fingers relaxed their grip and she smiled at the dark haired boy who was leaning against the tree. The blade at her side sank back into the sheath with an audible _shink_. He twirled a flower in his fingers and it lingered under his nose as he smelt it. _

_"Quwen..." He smiled slowly before pushing off the tree and walking towards her. He had this odd expression on his face as he approached, the flower still under his nose. "Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?" Quwen stiffened for a moment before she laughed._

_"Oh how you tease..." She lightly pushed his arm before walking away from him, knowing that he would follow. It was just in his nature._

_"Why would I tease about a matter like that?"_

_"Because you are Thanion, the very bane of my existence!" She teased as she stepped behind a tree. He peaked around from the other side, catching her off guard. _

_"Really? I am your bane?" He snickered at her words though, seemingly amused with her words. _

_"Well, I wouldn't go as far as to call you the bane really but you do tease me quite often..."_

_"Have it ever occurred to you that I tease you because I like you?"_

_"No..." She blurted, not really thinking over his words. At this point, she froze and slowly raised her eyes up to his. Reaching outward, he slipped the flower into the hair above her ear. His fingers grazed her cheek and she felt her skin burn beneath his slight touch. _

_Shying away from his fingers, she turned away. These feelings in her stomach, she did not like them. Not at all. Her voice quivered slightly when she spoke. _

_"Thank you for the lovely token, Dusk..." She whispered and the next thing he knew, the golden haired maiden was gone._

* * *

With another groan, she came from her dreams. The thoughts of Dusk brought pain into her heart as she came into conciousness. However, they were quickly pushed away as a different name was uttered from her mouth.

"Aragorn..." She mumbled his name immediately. It was as if her body had refused to say what her mind would not. Even in unconsciousness, her mind continued to wait for Aragorn. Where was he?

For the first time in days, Boromir crossed her mind. It was startling to think how easily he slipped into her mind. How was her friend? Did he survive the battle?

She did not know the answer to these questions. Yet, she wished to know. Had the rest of the Fellowship survived? How was Frodo fairing? Did he make it into Mordor?

Sitting in wait, she sifted slightly and the chains rattled around her limbs. She groaned once more, the metal was beginning to rub her skin and it was painful. Her arms were beginning to ache. Her joints felt as though they were going to be pulled from her limbs.

Oh, never had she so wished for a man to come along. She wished that Aragorn would come storming in through the door, Boromir, Legolas, and Gimli on his tail. Slaying an orcs around them, Aragorn would sweep her off her feet and carry her away from the damned cell in which she now sat.

However, it appeared that no one would be coming to her rescue. She would have to live out her days in this dark place. She would not last long in the darkness. For, she would give into death easily before she lost her sanity.

Something else also made her ponder. Her dreams were very vivid. It was almost as if she were reliving her memories. They were not terrible nightmares but they were some of her most precious reminders of who she was. But, why were they resurfacing now?

Her mother, her father, the twins, Del, even Dusk. The things she all held precious to herself. The things she could never let go of.

* * *

"Frodo has passed beyond my sight. The darkness is deepening..." Gandalf muttered from his place. The light shone down through the tall windows, casting the wizard in an ethereal white sheen.

Éomer, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, and Boromir had gathered in the hall. All the men were brooding as they thought of what to do.

"If Sauron had the Ring, we would know it..." Aragorn stated calmly even though he was rather patiently pacing back and forth. Quwen had disappeared the day before and the Heir was worried.

"It's only a matter of time. He has suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor our enemy is regrouping..." Gandalf mused as he rubbed his chin.

"Let him stay there. Let him rot! Why should we care?" Gimli puffed as he smoked his pipe. He had taken a seat on the steps before the great throne.

"Because ten thousand orcs now stand between Frodo and Mount Doom. I've sent him to his death!" Gandalf felt grief creep into his heart at the thought of the two small hobbits. He thought about how they would be mercilessly slaughtered by orcs if they were caught. Eventually, the Ring would make it back to Sauron and the end of the world would occur.

"No. There is still hope for Frodo. He needs time and safe passage across the Plains of Gorgoroth. We can give him that..." Aragorn mused as he continued to pace. His fingers were rubbing his chin in thought and his mind was reeling.

"And what of Quwen?" Everyone stopped in their thought process and looked to the autumn haired man. He sat bent over, his lips resting on his intertwined hands. He had taken his rightful place in the Steward's throne after his father's death. He had only been trying to protect Faramir after Denethor had sent him to his death.

Once the younger heir's body had been returned to the city, Denethor had claimed that he was dead, even though Boromir knew that Faramir was indeed alive. The Steward only wanted an easy way to be rid of a son.

"We can help the both of them. Draw out Sauron's armies. Empty his lands. Then we gather our full strength and march on the Black Gate. We storm in and invade the Black Lands. Then we take Barad-dûr and rescue her!"

"We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms..." Éomer stated as he to worried about the blonde woman. He had left her steed out in the remnants of the camp and he hoped that she had found him. He was sure of it however, he was a smart horse.

"Not for ourselves. But we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron's Eye fixed upon us. Keep him blind to all else that moves!"

"A diversion!" Legolas stated, slightly surprised with the plan the Ranger had come up with.

"Certainty of death. Small chance of success... What are we waiting for?" Gimli added rather cheerfully as he held up his pipe. Legolas tried his hardest not to let his lips quirk up slightly at the dwarf's tone. He failed in that matter.

"We could call on the aid of the dragons once more?" Boromir reasoned.

"No..." A strong voice echoed throughout the hall. Everyone turned their heads to look at the large beast that had limped his way into the great hall through the huge doorway. Large parts of his brown scales were missing and he had a slash across his left eye. However, the dragon's bright green eyes still sparkled with power.

"No, what do you mean, no?"

"My family already faced great risks helping you in the first battle. I will not lead them to slaughter a second time..."

"We need their help! Do you not care what happens to Quwen?"

"Of course I care for the girl, she is my charge afterall!" Aragorn felt the hope rise in his chest. "However, I will not lead my family into a battle that in which you have a low chance of success!" The beast growled, his eyes flashing angrily.

"Aragorn, Sauron will suspect a trap. He will not take the bait..." Gandalf warned the Ranger, ignoring the sudden outburst between the dragon and Steward. With his dark brows set in a frown, Aragorn raised his blue eyes up to his old friend, a sudden idea blooming behind his irises.

"Oh, I think he will..." He growled, a new determination in his eyes. Aragorn would save Quwen and tell her he loved her, even if it was the last thing he would do.

Walking swiftly down the hall, Aragorn strode with purpose in his step. Throwing open the doors to the room, he paused a moment in the entrance. A single pedestal stood in the center of the room. The item on the stand was covered with a dark silk cloth.

Boromir had been very upset to find that his father had been using a palantír without anyone knowing.

Without another thought, Aragorn crossed the room and stood before the stand, ripping the cover off the black orb. The Great Eye burned in spight as it gazed on the Heir of Isildur. The dark haired man flinched back at the sight of the cursed eye.

He could feel the orb vibrating in his palm and he shut his eyes momentarily, trying to fight back against the will of Sauron. Drawing his long sword, he gripped Anduril tightly in his hand. The blade brought comfort to the man and he felt his confidence grow.

He picked up the ball before turning it over in his hand and opening his eyes.

"Long have you hunted me. Long have I eluded you. No more!" Raising the reformed blade upward, he brought it into the sight of the Eye. It seemed to hiss and writhe with pain as it recognized the once broken blade. "Behold the Sword of Elendil!"

His eyes watched before him as the Lord of Mordor revealed himself momentarily before the scene inside slowly changed. At first look, the entire orb was dark. Then suddenly, the whole ball lit up as torches filled the room.

The image grew steadily brighter until he could see the outline of a body. The person was chained to the wall, their hands and feet bound. They hung from their shoulders and Aragorn suddenly felt a great pain rip through his own sockets.

It was as if he was connected to the person being tortured.

The room continued to grow lighter and as a few more moments passed, he could just make out the face. With a sudden intake of breath, Quwen's pained face filled the once dark ball.

The image seemed to retreat back slightly and showed that her clothes were in tatters and a large pool of blood had gathered around her feet.

Her pained filled screams echoed inside his head and with another startled gasp, Aragorn dropped the dark orb and the reformed blade. Placing his hands over his ears, he tried to block out the terrible screams. The palantír rolled across the floor before it came to rest against the base of one of the pillars in the room.

Stumbling back, Aragorn risked one more glance at the damned ball, only for it to change. The image from before faded and a new image appeared out of the blackness.

_"Quwen!" The dark haired man rushed forward to the woman on the ground. She did not respond and he brought her into his arms. He gently shook her shoulders, yet the blonde woman still did not respond. "Quwen!"_

_He felt his eyes grow moist when she did not even groan when he picked her up. Her cheeks were dirt stained, her hair was in a mess. Her clothes hung loose around her thin shoulders. She had dropped weight quickly and Aragorn suspected that it was because they had been starving her._

_Blood was pooled around her body from the large stab wound on her thigh._

_His thumbs gently ran over her cheeks. They were still flawless, save for a few small scratches from her stay at the tower. Even beaten and tattered, she was still as lovely as he remebered. _

_"Oh, Quwen..." He whimpered as he brought her face up to his. Tears rolled down his cheeks and he gently pressed his lips to hers. They were chapped from a lack of water and he only wished that he had more opportunities to have kissed them._

_"I never got a chance to tell you that I love you..." He whispered as he then pressed his lips to her forehead. They quivered against her soft skin and his fingers than wove into her soft hair. It had remained its golden color the entire time she had remained in the tower. _

_Why couldn't he have reached her in time?_

Coming back to reality, he breathed deeply and his senses returned to normal. Feeling a sudden shifting in his person, he reached up to just below his neck. He felt the cold from her necklace for a moment before it fell from his fingers.

As if the world slowed, he watched as the steel charm fell from the chord of leather. It clattered to the ground, each _clink_ resounding off the great marble walls of the palace.

"Oh, Quwen..." He whispered before he slowly bent down and picked the charm up in his fingers once more, gently cradling the lion charm to his chest as he thought of the woman he loved.

He had to save her.

* * *

**I swear, I can't write anything happy anymore. **

**I mean, I even tried to write another chapter for my Thor/OC story, which is supposed to be one of my more comedic and happy stories, yet I just write depressing chapters about how she misses Thor.**

**Urgh.**

**Don't worry though, probably only one or two more chapters and things will get better... I hope...**

**Anyway, thanks for the reviews and all the love you guys give me. I really appreciate it. I mean, I _really_ appreciate it. **

**Love, **

**Blue**


	10. Chapter 10

**Third Person's POV**

"QUWEN!" The dark voice hissed. The blonde woman's eyes burst open. If someone had been standing before her, they would have seen the fire from the Great Eye that had been burning in her dreams.

Her body was burning, despite the cold air that bit at her exposed skin. Sweat even dripped from her brow and her shoulders relaxed, causing her to sink slightly.

Her shoulder sockets burned with pain and she was sure that if she remained like this much longer, they joints would surely rip free from the other half.

Shutting her hazel eyes once more in exhaustion, she quickly reopened them. She was fearful that she would fall asleep once again and Sauron would haunt her dreams.

The sweet memories had disappeared a day ago and had been replaced with terrifying nightmares. All through her sleep, the evil voice had continued to whisper dark wantings in her ear. It kept promising her wealth and riches. It promised her good health. It promised her a life with Aragorn.

There would be no question that she would be able to wed the Ranger. If Sauron was able to claim his Ring once more, she could live with Aragorn. She could have his children, the child that she had already laid eyes on in her dream.

In the back of her mind though, a small yet powerful voice continued to remind her that Sauron could not have the Ring. If he was in possession of it once more, Middle Earth would fall.

Realizing that the voice in her head was her own, she began screaming back at the terrible voice. She told it that she would rather die than see him have the Ring back.

Even if he promised her a happy life.

She would give up everything to protect the innocent children that had yet to grow old. She would protect the young adults who had yet to learn what it was like to be in love, even if it meant giving up her own.

Light streamed into the small room once more, causing her to flinch. The foul creatures walked towards her, terrible scowl upon their faces.

"Our master wishes to speak to you..." One smaller one hissed. Quwen merely narrowed her eyes at the dreadful being. They moved to her sides and inserted keys into the locks at her wrists and ankles.

Her arms dropped and a sigh of relief threatened to escape her throat. However, she kept it inside, for fear the orcs would simply chain her back up. Her cold toes were once again on the ground.

She wished to rub her raw wrists but once again she refrained from doing so.

They forced her between the four of them as they led her outside her room for the first time in days. However, when she tried to walk, her leg throbbed as she put weight on it.

She couldn't even help the small whimper of pain as she was forced forward by the orcs behind her. Sending them a harsh look, they only growled at her and forced her forward once more.

The orcs led her into a rather large and dark hall. The place was much more dark and dismal than the rest of the tower. The entire hall was dark once more and at first, Quwen believed it to only be another cell.

However, when the orcs stepped away from her after forcing her to her knees, did the room lighten. Taking in the sight of the room, she noticed a table off to the side. Her weapons were splayed across it as if someone had been examining them. It was only a short distance away and she was about to step forward when she suddenly stopped.

The flames leapt higher into the air and burned brightly around her. She winced at the sudden increase of heat. The chill was gone from her limbs and was replaced with extreme heat.

A smaller version of the Great Eye burned in the center of the room. She watched as smoke billowed from around the eye. The Black speech rushed into her ears all at once and her head throbbed suddenly.

She was sure that her eyes were playing tricks on her when the smoke began to take shape in the form of a man. It's skin was white as ash and it had long black hair cascading down its back.

A fire seemed to burn inside the being's pupils as it stared down at Quwen. Oddly enough, his face was rather handsome but as he looked at her, she felt the cold begin to seep back into her bones.

"Quwen..." He chuckled as he gazed down at the woman. Her hazel eyes stared up at him in terror, her chest heaving slightly in fear. "I have you now..." His eyes smoldered as he took in her disheveled form.

Even in her weakened state, her hazel eyes burned against him spitefully.

"Why did you bring me here?" She spoke for the first time in days, her voice weaker than usual due to the fact that she also hadn't had water.

"I only brought you here for one reason. Can you guess what that would be?" He began to slowly walk around her. She followed him with her eyes and his dark clothing dragged across the ground. After waiting for her answer and knowing he would receive none, he decided to speak.

"I brought you here because you are a direct line to the Heir to Isildur's heart..." Her eyes snapped up at the mention of her companion. The Dark Lord smirked at her response, knowing he was correct in what he saw in her mind.

"You are wrong in the assumption that Aragorn has feelings for me!" She suddenly burst out, her exhaustion turning to anger. The blood boiled in her veins at the thought of Sauron using her against Aragorn.

"Oh, but I know for a fact that Aragorn is fond of you! Oh, this is precious!" He clasped his hands together and laughed darkly as he continued to pace around her. She felt her insides turn from boiling hot to icy cold at his words.

"You see, once you are dead, he will be broken and Gondor will fall under his reign..." She slowly clamored to her feet, pain radiating through her thigh from the deep wound where the knife had cut her.

"You are wrong!" Her voice was strong once more as she spoke against his dark words. He halted in his walking around her and a small smirk played on his lips. She was showing some fight. This was the woman who had seen riding through the Wilds. This was the true form of the woman he had been watching.

The orcs trudged forward and grabbed her arms. They forced her back on her knees in which she painfully groaned again. Sauron's bodily form strode forward, his own rage flaring.

Using his pale yet strong hand, he reached out and tightly grasped her chin, forcing her eyes directly up into his. The Black Speech once again hissed into her ears and she flinched momentarily before blocking out the vile words.

"I have seen the future and I know how of his fate!" His words quieted her and she stopped moving for a moment, knowing what his words meant. He slowly released her chin, her hazel eyes staring up at him with disbelief. He turned his back on her, knowing that their discussion was over.

She would be returned to her cell and he would wait for Aragorn to come for her and his forces would completely wipe out the line of Isildur. However, he did not plan on her next words.

"You don't know Aragorn... Even if his heart has been stolen and lost, he can only hold onto one thing. And that one thing will always be stronger than your darkness! And do you know what that is? Hope. Hope is stronger than fear and that is the only power you have over the people of Middle Earth! And I will never give up hope, do you want to know why? Becuase if I put my hope in one thing and believe in just one thing... I believe in him!" Passion burned in her heart and using her new strength, she rose to her feet.

Wretching her arms free of the orcs, her hand wrapped around the hilt of her trusty blade that was on the table. Pulling it from the scabbard, she gritted her teeth and fought against the pain. With a roar of both pain and power, she swung her thick blade through the air.

Sauron's bodily form turned at the noise and was surprised when the blade cut through his body. His eyes burned and his face was set in a dark scowl. The blade did not harm him, for it only cut through him like smoke.

He only remained for a moment before the Dark Lord vanished entirely with a look of pain on his face. A terrible scream suddenly wrang through the entire tower. The walls began to shake and Quwen rocked back and forth on her heels.

Realizing what had just occurred, the orcs ran at her and using her blade, she cut them down rather quickly. The tower continued to shake and she burst through the door that led from the great hall. The torches fell from the walls as it continued to shake.

The Lady was having a very difficult time staying on her feet so she had to walk along the wall to stay upright.

Tossing the wide loop of her sword's belt over her head, she didn't have time to properly place it around her waist. More orcs rushed at her and she ducked under the first orc's blade. Bringing her blade into his gut, she attacked the second and the third. After the group was deceased, she continued to hobble down the hall until she reached a winding set of stairs.

Cursing under her breath, she stumbled down the stairs, her body screaming murder the whole time.

* * *

Aragorn rode atop his loyal horse as they trotted towards the Black Gates that lay before them. A burning sense of determination had light his body on fire as he rode up to the looming figure in the distance.

His companions followed behind as he rode up to the thick gates guarding Mordor's dark lands. Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, Éomer, and Boromir trotted up at a slowed pace, unsure of how to approach the wall. After a moment of hesitation, the Heir decided to speak.

"Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth! Let justice be done upon him!" The King called as he stopped. The riders and their horses pranced before the gate, uncertainty filling all their guts.

With a sudden _thud_ and the creaking of gears, the large doors began to open inward. For a moment, Aragorn panicked and backed Brego up, ready for a surprise assault.

However, only a single rider emerged from the Dark Lands. His horse was covered in dark armor and trotted heavily towards them. As the being drew nearer, Aragorn had to resist the disgusted sneer that wished to cover his face. The being was beyond ugly as it sat atop its mount. The eyes were covered by a strange sort of helmet, only leaving its overly large mouth exposed.

"My master, Sauron the Great, bids thee welcome!" The odd being rumbled as he shot a toothy grin at Aragorn. He couldn't help the mocking smile that came on his, even though it came out more like a disgusted sneer.

"Is there any in this rout with authority to treat with me?"

"We do not come to treat with Sauron, faithless and accursed. Tell your master this: The armies of Mordor must disband. He is to depart these lands, never to return!" Gandalf growled at the foul beast.

"Old Greybeard. I have a token I was bidden to show thee..." The Mouth of Sauron sneered before reaching into pocket and withdrawing the Mithril shirt.

"Frodo." Pippin said what was all on their minds as the cursed being held up the precious armor. He tossed it to the wizard who caught it, shock written across his features. The entire company felt panic strike them as they gazed at the shirt.

"Frodo!" Merry cried from his place behind Boromir.

"Silence!" Gandalf commanded but the hobbit just glared daggers at him. "No!"

"Silence!" He growled once more, finally being successful in silencing the hobbit behind the Steward.

"The Halfling was dear to thee, I see. Know that he suffered greatly at the hands of his host. Who would've thought one so small could endure so much pain? And he did, Gandalf. He did..." The creature reassured the wizard and Aragorn could feel the blood boil in his veins.

As if sensing his anger, Brego took a few hesitant steps forward. The head of the creature snapped to look at him.

"And who is this? Isildur's heir? It takes more to make a king than a broken Elvish blade. Yet, do not worry for I have a token for you as well..." Reaching into the folds of his dark cloak once more, he retrieved a blade.

Tossing it to Aragorn, the dark haired man easily caught it but he didn't even have to look at the blade to know who's it was. However, just to confirm his fears, he risked a glance down at the shinning blade.

The handle was slick with blood and the blade was still soiled with black orc's blood. His eyes knew the piece well, for he had to return it to Quwen once before.

Feeling tears well up in his eyes, the King kept them at bay. But a new kind of anger was inside him. This was rage, an unspeakable, loathing and relentless rage. He knew that if he had all the intentions right now, he most certainly could breath fire at the moment.

However, he would leave that to Toran who waited patiently behind them with the rest of their forces.

"Do not worry, Elessar, the Lady of the North is no longer suffering..." The creature pulled his lips back in a smile to reveal his rotten teeth. However, he would never utter a word again for Andúril did a fine job in removing his head from his shoulders.

"I guess that concludes negotiations..." Gimli grumbled, seeming to be glad to have the creature dead.

"I do not believe it. I will not!" Aragorn looked down in disbelief at the red liquid that coated the handle of her short sword. The turning of more gears alerted them that the wall was moving. They began to open inward once more and the sound of thousands of orcs was unmistakable.

"Pull back! Pull back!" He commanded as he turned Brego back toward their own forces before he rejoined their side once more. As the gates opened completely, an uncountable number of orcs stood before the small army of people.

The men no longer believe that they will live to see the next day.

"Hold your ground!" The Ranger commanded as Brego paced about nervously. He could sense the fear that radiated off the army behind them. They believed that they would loose this battle.

Rallying his own courage, he knew what he must do. What he must do for her.

"Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers. I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship..." He stopped at this point, remembering the oaths that they took at Rivendell all those months ago.

Back them, he had not trusted Breeze at all. Now here he was, months later, fighting for her life and willing to give up his own in her place.

"...But it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the Age of Men comes crashing down. But it is not this day. This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!"

The sound of a thousands swords rang out into the air as they were pulled from their scabbards. The men felt their courage blaze to life once more at the Ranger's words. They would follow him into battle. They would follow him anywhere.

However, the small army soon became surrounded by the forces of Sauron, leaving no room for escape.

"Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an Elf..." Gimli grumbled as he gripped his father's axe tightly in his strong hands.

"What about side by side with a friend?" Legolas offered as he gazed down at his shorter companion. If only their fathers could see them now, for they would be pulling their hair out seeing their sons' friendship. It been many years since dwarves fought alongside elves. The dwarf pondered this for a moment.

"Aye. I could do that..." He smiled and no word about competition was made. They both knew that surviving this battle would be a miracle. Aragorn couldn't help it when his lips twitched up slightly when he heard their conversation.

A sudden wave of silence fell over the battlefield. Looking up, Aragorn realized that the Eye was now only focused on himself.

"_Aragorn... Elessar_..." Sauron's dark voice hissed into his ears. Taking a few steps forward, Aragorn felt as though the darkness was pulling at the very core of his being. Offering him impossible things and he was sad to say he actually thought about some of them.

However, he felt a chill grip his spin and the man froze in his place. It felt as though his life was being sucked from the bones of his very being. When he released a deep breath, mist swirled from his mouth and he stared at it with wide eyes.

"_Fight_..." He could hear her voice perfectly in his head. He could see the stern expression on her face which was echoed in her wonderful eyes. "_For Frodo_..." The image of her brought warmth back into his body and he stood up straight once more.

He would do this for her. Even if it was the last thing he ever did.

Turning back to the small army, he nodded his head when he heard her voice replace Sauron's. He could not help the tears that welled in his blue eyes as he gazed at all his loyal comrades.

"For Frodo..." The crownless king repeated her words before turning back to the thousands of orcs before him. Drawing Andúril out, he brought the sword closer to his face and with it, it brought confidence.

Rushing forward, the Ranger sprayed dirt up in his wake. His feet dug into the ground as he propelled himself towards the enemy. Only a moment passed before he heard the soft pounding of smaller feet behind him. The two remaining hobbits charge into battle after him, letting out loud battle cries of their own.

Following their lead, the entire army of Men began charging their enemies from all sides.

* * *

The tower continued to shake and once more, Quwen almost fell on her rear. She must have cut down a thousand orcs by now and her shoulders were screaming in pain and her leg was bleeding once more.

She continued down the endless staircase as the building continued to shake. She had to get out before it collapsed on top of her.

For the Lady did not know where was going, she only trusted her feet to guide her on the right path. One could almost call it a Ranger's intuition. Spearing another orc on her blade, she was rather glad to come into another open corridor.

Her hand was clutching at her chest were an orc's blade had caught her soft skin. Now, blood darkened her royal blue tunic and her head had begun to spin from the blood loss.

By luck, this hall seemed to be empty and she had noticed the decline in orcs as she continued down the stairs. It was rather odd, for if Quwen was to place guards in her tower, she would have placed them on the lower levels to protect from a sudden attack. Hearing a sudden boom from above her, she looked up and watched as pieces of the ceiling began to fall.

Dodging a large piece of stone, she made to move down the hallway once more.

She hobbled her way out of the corridor and down the next flight of stairs. Taking in a deep breath, she swore that the air was less foul down here and she remembered Gandalf's saying from when they were in the Mines.

"When in doubt, always follow your nose..." Her lips twitched up slightly before descending the stairs. Going towards the cleaner air, it lead her to a grand doorway. However, she noticed that the doors were too heavy and large for her to open.

Panic rose in her chest as she thought of what to do, realizing that she would be trapped there if she didn't act quickly.

As if someone where watching over her from above, one of the great doors cracked up the center. However, the cracking stopped and Quwen felt the dread sink back into her stomach.

Seeing a small window off to the side, Quwen thought quickly. Picking up a heavy chair from the table across the room, she hurled it at the window. It broke with a loud _bang_ and she quickly pulled herself up.

The glass cut into her hands and legs as she began to pull herself through the small window. Her hips got stuck and she grunted as she pushed against the building. She was so close to being free.

The building once again shook. Looking upward, she realized that the whole thing was about to come crashing down upon her. Smaller rubble began pelting her in the face and she wrinkled her nose before going back to work. With one final shove, she felt her hips beginning to bruise yet she pushed herself free.

Falling the few feet to the ground, she landed on her already scratched up palms to save her face. Picking up her discarded sword, she began to limp away from the tall tower, knowing that it would surely fall on her.

The Great Eye screamed and boiled in pain for an unknown reason. The sound hurt Quwen's ears and the ground shook, causing her to fall again. Looking to Mt. Doom, she realized why Sauron was writhing in pain.

Frodo had done it. He had destroyed the Ring.

Feeling joy enter her heart once more, she watched as lava burst forth from the peak of the mountain. Then suddenly, the tower began to crumbled once more. Clamoring to her feet, she did her best to sprint away from the tower which was grumbling.

A large section fell from the top and gathering her strength, she threw herself out of the way of the flying rock. The ground shook when it landed only a few feet away from her.

The rubble continued to rain down and with what little strength she had left, Quwen once again sprinted away from the dark tower.

With one final scream, Sauron was no more. The Great Eye exploded and the tower disintegrated. The force knocked her over once again and she fell onto her stomach. She hit the ground hard and once again, her body screamed in pain.

It just hurt everywhere.

Lying on her stomach, she weakly rolled over, a loud groan escaping her lips. Her chest hurt, her leg hurt, everything just hurt.

Hearing a loud rumble, she looked up and watched as the land around Sauron's troops fell away. The orcs screamed as they were claimed by the earth and were swallowed up for all eternity.

The ground continued to fall away and Quwen began to panic once more. It continued to roll at her and she was about to scramble to her feet when it stopped a few feet away.

Her head dropped back to the ground in exhaustion. She would lay here for a moment. Only for a moment. Maybe it would be longer than a moment, for her entire body ached and she just wished that the burning pain would go away.

Yes, only a moment.

* * *

"ARGH!" Aragorn continued to fight against the hulking form of the troll before him. Ducking under the huge blade, the Ranger was able to save his head. Taking his own swing at the troll, the beast blocked it with its blade.

Without warning, the troll back handed the crownless king, sending him sprawling on the ground. He landed hard on his back, the back of his head connecting with the ground.

The troll growled as he walked towards the man and was about to bring down his blade when suddenly, a bright light blinded him.

At first glance, Aragorn believed that it had been Gandalf that had saved him from the beast. But no, the source of the light seemed to be on his chest. Looking down, Aragorn picked up the lion charm, the metal warm on his fingers.

The white light seemed to be emanating from the charm and Aragorn watched in awe as the troll and any other surrounding creatures hissed and turned away from it.

Rising to his feet, Aragorn cut the troll down as it was distracted. Hearing a loud boom, everyone's eyes turned to look at the source of the noise. The Eye in the distance seemed to writhe and twist in pain.

The walls of Barad-dûr began to fall, much to Aragorn's horror. Sauron's army began to retreat back into the Black Lands but the army of Men cried out when the ground opened up and swallowed the ugly beasts.

Aragorn saw none of that. His blue eyes were only focused on the large tower that crumbled in on itself before the Great Eye exploded and the rubble shattered entirely. Most of the men cheered at the sight of the Eye being destroyed, however the only few who knew who remained inside did not.

"QUWEN!" The king called out and took a few steps forward. A strong hand was placed on his shoulder and the distressed king turned to look at the new Steward. Pain was written in both their eyes and Aragorn felt his throat close.

"Maybe she is still out there..." Boromir reasoned as he watched Mt. Doom explode. Dread once more filled their beings and their mouths dropped open. Sam and Frodo were at the base of the explosion. There was no way that they survived it.

"Quwen!" Aragorn called once more the place where the tower had once been. He still could not believe that she had been in there. She was not in there. He would never let himself believe that. "Toran!"

The named dragon raised his head from where he had been mourning the woman. Trotting forward, he came to stand beside the king, his head lowered so he could listen.

"I want you to see if you can find Quwen..."

"Out in that mess?" The brown dragon questioned, already knowing his answer. With a swift nod from the Heir of Isildur, the dragon took to the skies and his large wings carried him across the dark lands.

* * *

Pain was the only thing that brought her from the blackness.

Rolling over, she felt pain radiate across her chest from the cut she had received from the orc's blade. She weakly raised a hand up to it and felt her fingers become slick with blood once more.

Movement was the next thing she noticed and she could _feel_ something coming toward her. Lying still once more, she waited for the creature to pass and leave her corpse behind.

When she felt a nose on her face, however, she could not help but twitch her nose. The soft hairs on the skin tickled her face and she turned her head away from the feeling.

When the soft lips closed around her nose however, she began to panic. She weakly raised her hand up to touch the soft fur of the horse that he found her.

"Delgaranor..." She weakly mumbled the steed's name. He responded with a quiet whiney before he gently gummed her nose once more. A small smile twitched at her lips.

Knowing that she must move, Quwen tried her best to get her legs working once more. However, they would not respond and she frowned slightly.

"Del... I can't move..." She told the horse, her eyes still closed. His warm breath covered her face and all she heard was the rustling of hooves. Feeling the warm body of her loyal steed lay down beside her, she grasped tightly onto his shaggy mane.

Hauling herself upward, she groaned and forced her eyes open. Rubble from the tower lay aruond her and she wondered how she had not been crushed. Her hazel eyes scanned the surrounding area and she found no other living being around.

His back was bare of his saddle and armor. For a moment she wondered where they had gone but pondered it no longer as she forced her own leg over his back.

The speckled horse rose to his hooves easily, the woman weighing close to nothing after she had been starved for her entire stay in the Black Lands.

Her sword scabbard hung loosely around her neck and she tucked it more around her waist. Allowing her body to sink against her steed's back out of exhaustion.

"Take me home Del..." She whispered through her chapped lips before her eyes slid closed. The darkness that consumed her however, was much thicker than she was used to. This was the type of darkness that there was no returning from.

* * *

"Any sign of her?" Aragorn asked as soon as Toran had landed. The dragon appeared to be rather solemn at the moment and Aragorn suspected the worst. "No..." He began but the dragon stopped him.

"There was no sign of her. I did find blood but I did not know who it belonged to..." He explained. The crownless king only nodded before both Boromir and Éomer joined him from inside the tent from where they had been gathered.

They had set up camp a short way away from the battlefield. They could still see the remains of the battle in the distance. Barad-dûr was at least two hundred miles away and they could see the smoldering ruins of the tower.

All three of them men where concerned for the woman, all in a different way. They each had a special bond with her, one that they did not wish to give up so easily.

"What do we do now?" The Horse Lord spoke, clearly distressed with the situation. Quwen was like a sister to him.

"We can only hope for her safe return..." Aragorn said as he stared off into the distance, knowing, simply knowing that she was out there. She just had to be.

* * *

**Oh, I'm evil. I'm sorry but I had to end it there. I was heavily procrastinating all week and I just couldn't find it in myself to finish it. **

**Basketball is regretfully over. I am very depressed and I still cry myself to sleep at night. I will miss the seniors greatly. I love you guys. I wish we could play another year together and I wouldn't trade you guys for anything. **

**Anyway, chapter is out. I'm tired. I got my job done. **

**Now, I have to work on my online class. I have to read like seven chapters before taking a test on Wednesday. Yuck. **

**Alright, I'm still wondering about writing a Hobbit story as well. It will be on OC story but I don't know who it would be with. I have a pretty good idea of what would occur and how it would begin but I don't know the pairing!**

**Should it be a Thorin/OC or a Fili/OC? I love them both so much and I don't know who to choose! There arne't hardly any Fili/OCs but who doesn't think Thorin is a pile of smoldering hotness?**

**Tell me in your review and thanks to all who did! You light up my world like nobody else! **

**Love, **

**Blue**


	11. Chapter 11

**Third Person's POV**

**Rohirric.**

_"Quwen..." Her eyes weakly opened. White was the only thing surrounding her as she lay on the hard ground. "Quwen..." The voice came again._

_Frowning, she slowly sat up. Her chest and leg ached as she willed her muscles to move. Glancing down, she still found herself to be coated in blood from her recent wounds._

_However, the dizziness she had felt before was gone. Rubbing her once sore head with her hand, she frowned slightly. All she had remembered was pain. Now, she felt none._

_"Breeze..." Her head turned to the voice. There was only one person who still called her that. Squinting her eyes, she rose without any pain in her legs. The whiteness was almost blinding but she found that as she walked along, the ground was softer._

_Her boots crunched the snow beneath her feet and as she rounded a snow covered corner, a few trees came into view. Very familiar trees._

_When she came into the open clearing in hopes of finding the person, her shoulders slumped slightly. She was getting nowhere._

_"Quwen!" The high pitched voice startled her, turning around she came face to face with the dark haired children who were the very ones who haunted her dreams on a regular basis._

_"Roanen... Ariyana..." She breathed, relief washing over her. She reached out towards them, about to take a step closer when the young boy spoke._

_"Why didn't you come for us?" He asked, his grey eyes seemily empty. The woman opened her mouth to speak but was cut off once more._

_"We waited for you..." Her little sister spoke, her eyes empty just like her brother's._

_"I-I did look for you... I'm still looking for you..." Tears began to sting at the woman's eyes. What kind of dream was this?_

_"It wasn't enough!" They both snapped and the woman once again felt so small and young compared to her older self._

_"I tried! I really tried to find you but the village and the water..." She was once again cut off. _

_"Quwen!" A sterner voice called from behind her. Turning around, her face paled at the person who now stood before her. _

_"Mother..." She breathed, unable to believe who stood before her. The woman's hazel eyes were dark with anger as she gazed at her oldest child. _

_"What have I told you about watching your brother and sister?" She snapped and Quwen felt as though she were a child once again, being scolded for not doing what her parents wished. _

_"I was watching them but the dam broke and-"_

_"That is no excuse! You should have saved them!" A fourth voice spoke and she turned again, starting to grow dizzy from all the turning. She kept the tears from falling as she took in the fourth person._

_"Father, I was swept away and-"_

_"You had one job to do, Quwen! One job! You were supposed to save them! They were our everything!"_

_"I though I was your everything!?" She cried back, her memories not failing her as she recalled a tender moment between her and her father on one summer's eve. _

_The dark haired man only looked away, anger burning in his dark eyes. It was as if he was ashamed to look at her bloodied form as she stood in the snow. _

_"We didn't you save us?" The twins asked in unison, their faces now tears stained and sad. _

_"You should have saved them!" Her mother cried, her voice mingling with her other children. They began to invade her mind and Quwen felt dread sinking in her stomach. _

_"Yes, you should have given up your own life to save your siblings!" Her father added and the tears fell freely now. Placing her hands over her ears, her family continued to ask her the same questions over and over again. _

_"I-I don't know... Please, stop..." The blonde woman whimpered as she curled up into a ball, her cheek on the snowy ground. "Stop..."_

* * *

Four days had passed since the great battle had taken place. Four days had passed since the Ring had been destroyed. Four days had passed since the tower of Barad-dûr had fallen, possibly claiming th life of Quwen, daughter of Roaner, Lady of the North.

Aragorn stared anxiously out at the rolling hills before him, watching for any sign of the woman he had been waiting for for so long.

The camp below him glimmered with lights as the men drank merrily and cheered around their campfires. How Aragorn wished he could celebrate like they did.

"You should take some rest..." The familiar voice of Boromir warned him as the Steward walked from the tent that the Steward and Kings shared.

The night was starting to settle in and the sun was just beginning to disappear behind the horizon. The sky was turnedd a bright red from the dying rays of light.

"I will be fine..." His tone was icy calm, causing the autumn haired man to sigh loudly.

"You haven't slept in days..."

"And I have had good reason to!" Boromir could hear the weariness behind his friend's tone. He would never stop waiting for Quwen.

The King was indeed rather weary for, not having slept the total of four days. The Steward had once caught him sleeping during their nighttime meal. He had a spoon in his hand and the liquids had dribbled out of it, only to end up back in the bowl.

"You can't stay awake forever..." He tried to reason with his friend, yet the Ranger slowly turned to him, his blue eyes filled with exhaustion and an unspoken pain.

"I would for her..." He replied calmly, his fingers absently playing with the charm that hung around his neck. He could feel her somehow.

He could feel that she was coming.

* * *

Éomer was only walking about the camp, a slight smile on his face.

His men were all gathered around their campfires, their cheers loud and full of excitement, knowing that Middle Earth was once again free from Sauron.

He wanted to badly participate in their actions, to take up a tankard of ale and listen to the stories his men had to tell. However, two certain women had invaded his mind.

Both of them were blonde as he was. Both were sisters to him, yet one was truly of his own blood. However, the other looked more like him than his true sister did.

They both had warm smiles that were infectious. Their hazel eyes shimmered with mirth whenever someone would tell a humorous tale around the fire. Both were loyal beyond reason. Yet, she was not here.

Thus, when the distintful sound of a horn sounded, he knew that someone was approaching from outside the camp.

Running out to the cliff overlooking the vast lands below, he saw that a single rider approached from the west, riding with their back against the sunset.

Well, actually there appeared to be no rider on the horse as it galloped along towards them. He could not tell the color of the horse's coat, for the sunlight continued to swallow all the color.

For all he knew, it could just be a lost horse from the battle only a couple days ago, returning to his rider after being separated from the group.

However, in the very bottom of his stomach, he hoped that it was her.

"My lord, there is a horse approaching!" Called some of the men who were stationed at the bottom of the cliff.

"Yes, I can very well see that!" He leaned over the rock face and gazed down at the man. The rest of the men chuckled at their companion before falling silent.

He waited patiently as the steed galloped closer and the faintness of its coat lessened. He could make out the faint speckles on the coat and the Horse Lord chuckled out loud.

The men looked to him as if he were mad.

He threw his head back in laughter as the blasted horse approached. He couldn't believe that he had made it. He just knew that he had been right to leave the horse for her.

As the beast approached, his breathing was rapid and his chest heaved. His body seemed thinner since the last time Éomer had seen him.

"Delgaranor..." He called to the horse. The steed trotted right up to the man, his hot breath fanning across his face. He held out hand out to the beast and when he looked into his eyes, he found them to be wide and anxious.

He let the Horse Lord stroke his nose but Del still snorted anxiously. Looking over the horse's shoulder, he saw the bloodied and battered form of the woman who he considered to be his sister.

"Quwen!" He yelled and Del let him approach the female on his back. His already dark coat was stained scarlet with her dried blood.

She looked rather terrible, worse for wear even. She did not respond when he called her name. She only lay on her stomach with her eyes closed and her bloody hands entangled in Del's mane.

Her grip was resilient and he placed a warm hand over her own cold one. **"You're safe now, love..."** He watched as his words seemed to affect her. Her hand slowly relaxed its hold on Del's mane, allowing him to move her.

"I need to get you to Aragorn!" Éomer realized and he cooed to Del in Rohirric. He rapidly explained to him where they needed to go.

Without a second thought, he shifted Quwen on the horse's back. Using his strength, the Horse Lord gracefully mounted the speckled stallion.

**"Make haste!"** He commanded the steed. Even in his state of exhaustion, the horse bounded forward. Entangling a strong hand into Del's hair, the man leaned the woman back against his chest. He could feel her faint breath on his neck. She was alive.

Together, they galloped through the camp. Men yelled in surprise as they jumped out of the way of the large horse. It seemed as though Del knew that his rider was in danger.

Coming to a stop before the large white tent, Éomer slid off the back of the horse, bringing Quwen's limp body with him. As he carried her, her neck lolled to the side and her thick hair billowed loosely in the strong wind.

"Aragorn!" His panicked voice came out in a rush. A moment later, Boromir appeared through the tent flaps, his grey eyes wide. It only took a moment before they focused on the person in the King's arms before panic rose inside him.

"My lord!" He called in the same tone Éomer had used. Quickly openeing the flaps, the Steward led them inside. The King was only waking up it seemed. He sat up slowly on his cot, his blue eyes filled with sleep.

"What is it?" He questioned slowly, his mind still trying to awaken. His blue eyes rose up to look at the men who had entered.

He opened his mouth to speak but then noticed the fourth person in the room. His face paled and his eyes widened at the sight of her unmoving form.

"Quwen..." He breathed before rushing towards her. Bringing her cold face into his hands, he felt for her breath as it was weak against his cheek. Hope flared in his chest and he tried wiping the dirt from her face.

"Bring her over here!" He commanded as he moved back to his bed and pulled back the covers. Éomer carefully laid the woman on the plush cot. Feeling her cold skin once more, he frowned deeply.

"Stop!" She whimpered weakly, her face suddenly changing into one filled with pain. Her cold hands lifted and clawed at the air. Reaching out, he grasped her cold fingers in his own. Leaning down to her ear, he placed his mouth right next to it.

"_Breeze... Come back to my voice... I'm here_..." He whispered quietly in elvish. Her crying out seemed to stop momentarily and her face relaxed. His rough fingers gently stroked her own soft hands, his blue eyes focused on her face.

"She is having nightmares?" Boromir tried to reason. Aragorn nodded as his heart began to worry for the woman before him. He had a sneaking suspicion of what was affecting the woman and causing said nightmares.

"I need you to bring me, Athelas, boiling water, and bandages! Go!" He commanded them as he cointued to sit at Quwen's bedside. Her breathing had once again became shallow and his eyebrows drew together in worry.

Minutes later, the men returned with the other healers. They carried their supplies with them and nearly threw them at the distressed King. Taking some of the Athelas, he placed some into the steaming bowl of water.

Creating a tea-like substance, he carefully parted her grey lips and slowly dumped part of the contents inside. She choked and sputtered for a moment before she settled once more.

He continued to mumbled incoherent elvish under his breath as he dipped a cloth into the boiling liquid and placed it on her forehead. Moving down to the blood on her clothes, his hands ghosted over them.

Setting to work on the stab wound to the thigh, he pulled a knife from his bedside table. Tearing into the fabric around the wounds, he completely remove her pant leg, save for a small piece of clothing that covered only her upper thigh.

Seeing her smooth bare leg, the other men in the room turned away. Clearing his throat, Boromir turned to leave but glanced over his shoulder at the King.

"We will wait outside..." He simply replied before Éomer followed him. The Horse Lord's cheeks were burning a bright scarlet for he had just seen his sister's nude leg.

The other healers rushed to his side with the supplies. It was by mere luck that her leg had stopped bleeding. Just by looking at it, Aragorn thought it to be a few days older that the wound on her chest.

Quickly clearing the blood away, he also took a wad of Athelas and pressed it to the wound. Wrapping it tightly in white bandages, he made sure it would hold securely before sighing as he went to her chest.

Her once rich royal blue shirt was stained scarlet with her blood. It hung around her thin frame and he only had to push away a bit of the fabric to see that the wound started at her left shoulder and nearly cut completely across her chest, ending only a shot distance underneath her opposing collar bone.

Taking another clean cloth, he gently began to clear away the dirt and blood away from the thick wound. Clean blood slowly continued to seep from the fresher wound.

Slowly sliding the dirty fabric from her shoulders, he only pulled the shirt down a few inches but left her breasts covered, as she also had a small bodice on to protect her from unwanted eyes.

He felt relief at that discovery, for he was glad to know that he could heal her without damaging both their honors. There seemed to be no woman healer in camp. For they believed that no women had joined the army.

Éowyn had stayed back in Minas Tirith and was still recovering from the Black Breath.

One more placing some of the herbs on her wounds, he quickly pressed another clean bandage to stop the bleeding before he wrapped the wounds with another roll of cloth bandages.

He sat back on his knees for a moment, finally able to breathe now that she wasn't bleeding freely.

Her head turned to the side suddenly and a whimper escaped her throat. Her face once again one that was filled with pain and anguish. She suddenly started screaming and thrashing about.

Quickly grabbing her arms once more, he tried to restrain her. Taking her smaller hands into one of his own, he carefully stroked the hairs away from her face. More elvish words left his mouth as he stroked her forehead.

Knowing what was exactly affecting her, he took up the rest of the tea and poured it down her throat. She sputtered once more before lying still, her face relaxed once again.

"Quwen..." He breathed as he ran his fingers down her cheek. Releasing her hands, he reached back to the table and grabbed more Athelas. Grasping a candle in his other hand, he held the plant over the flame until it caught fire.

A thick black smoke began to swirl from the burning plant. Moving it quickly to be around her, he waved the plant under her nose and around her face. Letting the smoke enter her mouth and nostrils, he prayed that his treatments would work.

"_May the Black Shadow leave you... The Valar bless you and walk with you in the darkness_..." He breathed against the skin of her cheek near her ear. Her head turned towards the sound of his voice. This small action was enough to make his lips turn upward slightly.

The hold Sauron had over was not as strong as he would have liked.

Pulling back, his blue eyes watched as her own pair moved behind their lids as she dreamed. She was silent once more and Aragorn sat the burning plant in another empty bowl so that the tent would be filled with the healing smoke.

Gently grasping her cool hand in his own, he could only sit and wait for her to break through the dark shroud that hovered over her body.

* * *

_Taking a deep intake of breath, Quwen stirred slightly. Feeling completely refreshed, she stretched slightly, curling her toes in the process._

_Slowly opening her hazel eyes, she sighed in contentment as she shifted on the bed._

_Bed. Moments ago, she was being terrorized by her own family._

_Feeling the softness of fur on her bare arms, she frowned slightly. Sitting up, she began to panic as the soft blankets slowly slid down her nude chest. Quickly grasping ahold of the cover, she clutched it to her chest._

_The pain from her leg and chest was gone and out of curiosity, she pulled the blanket back to look down at her chest. A long scar stretched from her shoulder to her opposing collar bone. There was also a large scar on her thigh from where she had been stabbed._

_The rest of her body was also bare of clothing. Feeling heat rise up to her cheeks, she suddenly felt self-conscious and looked about the room. _

_Feeling shifting on the bed beside her, she watched as a body moved underneath the covers as they attempted to become more comfortable. A bare back was pale in the morning sunlight as the blanket fell away._

_Feeling a lump rise in her throat, her eyes drifted upward to see the head of hair that lay against the pillow. She felt the blood drain from her face as the familiar reddish brown met her eyes._

_Swallowing thickly, she grasped two arm fulls of blanket and tugged slightly. The upper layer of the covers fell away but much to her luck, a thinner blanket lay underneath. Wrapping the other fur blanket around her, she made to creep from the large bed._

_Just before her feet touched the ground, she heard the rustle of blankets before she felt a hand close around her upper arm._

_Immediately, she froze and slowly turned her head, her long hair gently tickling her skin. She turned to meet the smirking face of Boromir as his thumb gently rubbed her arm._

_"Where do you think you're going, beautiful?" He cooed at her before he began to pull her back onto the bed. Panic rose in her chest but she nonetheless sat back down on the soft mattress._

_Pulling her back to him, he let out a small noise as he towed her back to him. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, Quwen made sure that the blanket was firmly wrapped around her naked body._

_He leaned more over her, a small smile on his lips. Bending down, he captured her lips with his own. Her hazel eyes widened as his lips moved against her own. Sensing her hesitance, the man pulled back, confusion in his eyes._

_"Is something wrong, my sweet?" She felt a shiver run down her spin and she shut her eyes for a moment. His lips once again found her cheek and neck before they began traveling lower._

_Panicing once more, she realized that this was wrong. This was not Aragorn. This was not the man she loved._

_"I-I'm just not feeling well..." Her voice was hoarse and she began moving away from him. His eyebrows pulled together in a frown as he watched her move away._

_"Quwen...?"_

_"Where is Aragorn?" She demanded as she looked at the man in the bed. Confusion once again was on his face as he looked at her._

_"What does this have to do with Ara-"_

_"Where is he?" She interrupted and she continued to hold the blanket against her naked body, not wanting the autumn haired man to see._

_"I would guess that... He is probably with Éowyn at this time of day..."_

_"You mean as in they are having breakfast?" She hoped that he meant but she got the unsettling feeling in her stomach that told her otherwise._

_"No, I mean that they are in similar circumstances to the one we are in..." She felt bile begin to grow in her throat the longer she looked at Boromir as he lay on the bed with nothing but a sheet covering his lower body._

_"No..." She began as she shook her head. Tears began to sting her eyes. However, she could suddenly hear the pounding of small feet coming from the hallway outside the extravegant door._

_Two young boys, both with dark red hair like Boromir burst into the room._

_"MOTHER!" They cheered in unison, the one of the left slightly younger. They both beamed up at the woman and she felt her mouth fall open at the mere sight of them._

_"NO!" She screamed and she shut her eyes tightly, wanting to block out all the wrong in the world. She could feel the tiny hands of her supposed sons pull on the blanket around her, wanting her attention. "NO!" She screamed again, exchanging a feral look between the boys and Boromir before running for the door._

_Bursting out into the hallway, she about dropped the blanket from around her thin body. Her bare feet pounded on the marble floor of what she could only guess to be the King's palace in Minas Tirith._

_Slowing her pace, her hazel eyes darted about and as he passed another grand corridor, a door opened. Out walked a sleepy eyed Aragorn who was still waking up. He was dressed in a King's clothes, making him look absolutely regal and caused her heart to hurt._

_She froze mid step and Aragorn seemed to notice the small movement in his hallway. He slowly turned to look at her before surprise crossed his sleep riddled features._

_"Quwen?" He inquired what she was wearing by glancing down only momentarily before his cheeks burned red. They stared at each other for a moment before he cleared his throat and shifted in place._

_"I take it you slept well?" He asked and she slowly nodded. Glancing around, he took a few steps forward as to share a secret with her. "You realize that you are only wearing a fur blanket, don't you?"_

_Glancing down, she blushed herself before tightening the blanket around her bare body. "I wasn't feeling well so I had to get away from Boromir and my... sons..." She found it hard to say the words, the letters tasting poisonous on her tongue._

_"Yes, I can see the reasoning behind that..." He chuckled quietly before leaning against the wall just outisde his room._

_"What happened between us?" She asked suddenly, the words just slipping from her mouth. The King glanced up at her with wide eyes but a small smile playing on his lips._

_"What happened? Nothing happened. You've always loved Boromir..." She felt another lump rise up in her throat._

_"No..." She sobbed and she felt the strenght leave her knees. Gripping the blanket tightly to her chest, she dropped to the cold floor. Crying into her only free hand, she felt a sob rack her body. "NO!"_

* * *

_Jolting awake, Quwen sat up straight. What a terrible dream. Of all she had dreamt lately, that one had been one of the most terrible._

_Leaning forward, she placed her elbows on her knees. Leaning her head into her hands, she closed her eyes as she tried to sort out all that ha happened. It was almost as if she was drifting from one reality to another._

_She wished that she could wake up in the right reality. The one where she and Aragorn to could be together._

_In that reality however, she had been wounded and was bleeding heavily. What if she was dead in that reality? What if she could never return to that reality? She and Aragorn would not be together._

_Her mind must be trying to make up new reality, more pleasant ones to replace her current situation. There was also the possibility that her mind just needed to keep itself entertained._

_Her fingers were occupied with the soft grass beneath her. Picking at the blades, she looked down at it. It was rather tall around her yet the short golden grass brought a small smile to her face._

_It reminded her of the long grass that grew around Rohan. Picking a bit up in her fingers, a bit of wind blew across the golden plains, taking the grass with it. The wind was delightfully warm and there was nothing in sight before her._

_This was the most pleasant dream yet. It was so peaceful._

_Behind her, was another story. When she listened closer, she could hear water. Curiousity growing in his stomach, she spun around to find the noise. Behind her lay the tallest mountains she had ever seen._

_They were so tall that the clouds seemed to flock around them._

_A large dark river lay just before her. It was wide and its waters churned dangerously as it swirled off into the distance. As far as the eye could see, the river traveled onward._

_Standing up, she realized that her clothes had changed again and her wounds were no more. There was no scar along her chest and her leg did not ache._

_Her royal blue shirt had been changed to one that was deep red. A dark brown belt hung loosely across her waist yet her weapons were no where to be seen. Even upon checking her boot, she found the knife to be gone._

_Slowly walking to the waters edge, she felt the warmth from the sun over head beat down on her back. It felt wonderful compared to the darkness that had been hovering around her as of later._

_The dark waves lapped at the ground beneath her feet. Risking a glance up, she looked once more over at the mountains to see a figure standing before them. He was dressed in a white cotton tunic that hung loosely around his frame._

_He was standing casually on the opposing side of the river. From what she could tell he was smiling widely at her. His dark locks fluttered about in the strong winds that danced across the plains._

_"Breeze!" She heard his faint voice against the wind. He raised his hand in the air and waved to her, as if expecting her to jump into the rushing river and swim to him._

_Daring not to speak his name, she smiled widely and was about to step forward but the cold feel of the water on her booted feet stopped her._

_"Quwen!" Hearing a voice behind her, she turned to look over her shoulder. Her family stood together, beckoning her to join them with open arms. Her siblings beamed at her pleasantly, their eyes once more full of life. Her parents no longer looked upon her angrily but with parental love._

_Another figure also stood slightly more off to the side. The man's face was smiling slightly, his dark hair also blowing in the wind. His chin was covered with a small beard. His eyes shone a familiar greyish green and his stance was also well known to her._

_Looking forward at Aragorn once more, she knew what was happening. She had to make a choice. She had to choose between her love or her family._

_Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. Letting the water relax her mind, she concentrated on the thoughts at the front of her mind._

_She had loved her family. She had loved Dusk. However, on the other side of the river, the man she loved stood waiting for her. Opening her eyes, she only breathed deeply, knowing that this dream would somehow be the last._

_All things were coming to an end. She would either stay on this side of the river and stay loving her family. Or she could brave the icy depths and swim to Aragorn's side._

_She would have to give up her family to be with Aragorn._

_Knowing what she must do, Quwen began to step deeper into the cold water. The waves lapped at her boots and as she waded further out into the powerful current, she felt herself being swept away._

_Being tugged under the dark surface, her feet were swept out from underneath her. Stumbling a bit on the slippery rocks, she used her strong legs to propel herself back towards the surface._

_Her lungs were burning by the time she reached the surface and she gasped loudly as she struggled to keep herself above water. Her hair turned a couple shades darker from the added moisture and she was a bit lost for a moment._

_"Quwen!" She heard her father's strong voice call from her left. Realizing that she was facing up the river, another violent wave crashed over her, pulling her back under once more. Her lungs had not been prepared for the sudden lack of oxygen, for she had not been breathing in when she went under._

_Being tossed about by the current, she nearly blacked out as she was held under by the raging water. However, when she felt the darkness beginning to pull at the back of her mind, she was suddenly thrown upward by the current._

_Bursting back to the surface, the water stung her eyes as she was blinded by another wave. She wouldn't last longer if she stayed trying to simply float in the middle of the river._

_"Aragorn!" She managed to scream, water pouring down her throat again. Coughing and sputtering, she managed to keep herself above the surface. Waiting for a response, she heard a voice call to her from to her left._

_Realizing that she was facing downstream once more, she didn't wait a moment later before she began to kick out with her strong legs. She could steadily feel herself moving across the water through the strong current._

_After a few moments of powerful swimming, her limbs began to lock up from the cold. Groaning in pain, she continued to paddle through the water until the shore was a few feet away._

_She could feel a stone beneath her palm and she felt a small smile on her lips. Clutching onto the stone gutting up from the bottom of the river, she held on for her precious life._

_The water continued to drag on her limp body. The water was freezing and her fingers soon began to feel numb. She was just so close now, if only she had a little strength left..._

_"Breeze..." The voice coming from above her was enough to keep her from hearing the rushing of the waves around her. Looking upwards, her body was soon starting to fail her._

_Blue met hazel and the pair of eyes stayed locked for what felt like eternity._

_"Breeze... Give me your hand..." He told her, his voice surprisingly calm. He was smiling down at her, acting as if nothing had happened. Reaching out, she grasped his hand tightly. His hands were delightfully rough and warm, just as she remembered. However, she still clutched to the rock in the water._

_"Promise that you won't let go?" Her voice was hoarse and weakened from the long swim. A larger smile befell his face as he gazed down at her._

_"Never..." He breathed and without another thought, she let go of the stone._

* * *

**Whoop. There it is. **

**Yeah, I was a bit stumped for a while for what dreams to add to the mix. Knowing Black Breath gives you nightmares, I had to think of the most terrible ones. Which is quiet difficult. Actually, it's not. I just have problems writing simple things like that. **

**The Boromir scene was kind of awkward to write. It's not something that is usually covered in my stories. In the future, however, I'm afraid another one of my stories may have to have more romantic parts like that. **

**I feel dirty writing them. **

**It was actually kind of creepy writing her and Boromir's marriage and sons. **

**Anyway, thanks to all who reviewed. And yes I hate it when my hips get stuck in places. It happens to me all the time. You guys are once again the best and I love all of you. **

**Review again, I want to get at least a hundred by the end of the story!**

**Oh, yes! I also need to know who my next OC should be paired with in my Hobbit Story! Right now the score is Thorin: 1, Fili: 1. HELP ME!**

**Love, **

**Blue**


	12. Chapter 12

**Third Person's POV**

As Aragorn pulled her from the icy water, she could feel herself becoming whole once again. The man before her was soon swallowed up by a bright white light and his land left her. The chill left her body and she closed her eyes, basking in the warmth around her.

Her body took its first breath with a renewed life.

She could feel the bed around her. She could feel the warm blanket that covered her body. As she came around, her left hand flexed and grasped the velvet blanket in her fingers with what little strength she had.

Checking to see if the rest of her body was in working order, she slowly moved her toes. She shifted her knees slightly but when she moved her leg, pain radiated up through the limb.

Haulting in her movements, she laid still once more, waiting for the pain to disappear.

Also flexing her right hand, she found that something warm lay in the palm and something else lay closed over the top of it. After lying still for a moment, she decided to try and open her eyes to see exactly what it was.

Drawing her lashes back, her hazel eyes fluttered open. The light burned at first but it soon dulled to a light creme color. The ceiling of the place where she was staying seemed to move gently in the breeze as it blew through the camp.

As she lay staring up at the ceiling, she could hear the sound of voices outside. However, it wasn't the only noise. Horses neighing, hooves clomping across the ground, fires crackling, a river running, and birds chirping also filled her ears with their sweet noises.

Turning her head slightly, she focused on the source of warmth around her hand and she couldn't help the weak smile that crossed her lips. With affection in her eyes, she only lay back against the soft pillow for a few moments, taking in the peaceful features of the man asleep at her bedside.

His blue eyes were hidden away from her as he dreamed peacefully. His jaw was covered in stubble, as it always had been. However, it appeared thicker than she remembered it, a sign showing that he had been kept busy for the last few days.

His lips were parted slightly as he breathed in sleep and his hair was a dark mess around his shoulders. She wanted to so badly reach out and brush the dark locks from his face, to get a better look at him.

Just wanting to touch him, her fingers twitched.

Deciding that she might as well, she reached outward with her left hand. Her fingers gently brushed his cheek, the stubble scratching at her fingertips.

As if her touch were some type of magic, Aragorn made a small noise of awareness before inhaling deeply. Leaning into her touch, his eyes began to flutter, as if he was not expecting to wake so suddenly.

She begged and pleaded in her mind for him to only open his eyes. She wanted to see the blue depths that lingered behind his eyelids. She only wished to gaze into them once more and she could die a happy woman.

Removing one of his hands from her grip, Aragorn brought it up to hold her ever warming hand against his cheek. Life was returning to her and with her warmth, it brought hope. Using his own hand, he splayed her fingers across the soft skin, a small smile also lingered on his lips as if he believed that he were dreaming.

But not for anything, it appeared as though he wouldn't open his eyes. He did not want this fantasy, this dream, to end.

Bringing her hand down from his cheek, he gently balled it into a fist and pressed his once rugged lips against the knuckles as a warm display of affection. Her once cold hand burned where his lips had lingered.

With every touch, he was bringing life back into her.

"Aragorn..." She tried but it came out in a pathetic squeak. Clearing her throat, she wanted to make it stronger so she could get his attention. "Aragorn..."

Upon hearing his name spoken from her lips, his blue eyes opened. She almost let a laugh escape her throat but it was bone dry so she could only smile at him. The blue pools scanned her face, searching to see that she was truly alive.

"Quwen..." He breathed back, his hands leaving her own so it could come to rest on her rosy cheeks. Craddling her face in his calloused hands, she slowly closed her eyes. His thumbs gently stroked at the flawless skin of her face, his blue eyes never straying from her face. He couldn't help the childish grin that drew back his lips as he gazed at her awoken form.

"You act so surprised to see me!" She replied back weakly, her throat still scratchy from the lack of water. Beginning to cough, she only smiled back at Aragorn who looked as if she were about to perish before him again.

"Do not try to speak..." He warned quietly but she shook her head as she brought her hand to her lips to cover the cough.

"I am only thirsty!" She rasped and he looked very relieved to hear that she would be fine. He rose from her beside momentarily as he poured a fresh cup of cool water from a tall, silver pitcher.

Returning to her side once more, he placed the cup behind her on the table at her head. Grabbing another pillow from the same table, he helped her to sit up and he placed the second cushion behind her.

She groaned slightly as the pain flared up from the wound on her chest. Hissing slightly, she pulled back the dirty cloth that still lay about her shoulders. Peering down at the bandage, she frowned.

The wrappings seemed to wrap all the way around her upper body, ducking underneath her armpits before wrapping around her back again and again.

There was relief when she found the bandages to be clear of blood, only assuming that the wound had stopped leaking the liquid. Aragorn could only chuckle slightly at her actions before he held the cup out in front of her.

Using both her hands, she did not trust her arms to hold up the weight of the beautiful silver cup. Raising it to her lips, she slowly drank the deliciously clean water and it soothed her dry throat.

"Much better..." She mused before finishing the last of the cup. Holding it out to him again, Aragorn raised an eyebrow before taking the cup and standing to refill it. Once he had placed it back in her hands, he only had to wait moments before it was empty again.

"I might as well bring the pitcher over!" He teased lightly as he got up for the third time. Quwen could only weakly brush her hands through her tangled hair. It felt dirty and slimy, tangles were in great number. It would take her hours to get them all out.

As he had teased, Aragorn brought the silver pitcher back with him. Sitting down on the chair beside her bed, he refilled her cup. However, when he held it out to her, she reached passed it and took the pitcher right from his other hand.

Chuckling slightly, he watched her as she drank the liquid quickly, her thirst overcoming her. Pausing in her drinking, she looked up at him.

"How long have I been sleeping? I feel as though I have been sleeping for a week!"

"You're a little short when it comes to your estimation..." He leaned back in the chair but his blue eyes were trained once more on the blonde woman. Choking on the water, she lowered the pitcher.

"More than a week?" Her voice raised an octave out of disbelief. Aragorn nodded slowly before rubbing his hands together.

"More or less. You were missing four days after Barad-dûr collapsed..."

"I had been asleep for four days before I was even found?" He nodded before her head slowly swiveled to the side to look around her. "Where exactly are we?" She asked again before taking another drink.

"Right now, we are in a camp just north of Osgiliath. We believe that Del brought you up from Minas Morgul..." She sat up when the horse was mentioned.

"Minas Morgul? That is at least three hundred miles away! Where is he? Where is Del?..." She swung her leg over the bed, prepared to go visit her horse outside. However, when she stood up, her thigh wound burned and she hissed in pain.

Dropping back onto the bed, she whimpered in pain.

Aragorn gently pushed her back down before picking her leg up and gently placing it back down again. He had it gently propped on a pillow. His hand slowly trailed down her smooth leg before it lingered on her bare foot for a moment, watching as her face relaxed once the limb was settled. The woman was panting slightly as she tried to relax.

"Where is... Where is Del? He was... so thin when he found me..." She panted in a worried tone as she laid back on the soft pillows. Gently smoothing the hair from her face, Aragorn sat down beside her again.

"He is fine, Quwen... Éomer has been taking good care of him..." He reassured her and she smiled slightly at the hope he placed inside her chest. She just wished that her loyal companion was still safe.

"Éomer... Where is he?"

"He has been patiently waiting for you to awaken... as is Boromir and... everyone else..." He seemed a bit disappointed when telling her, as if he knew that they were all wishing she would awaken soon.

Quwen also felt a bit of frustration flow through her. She had only just gotten Aragorn back and now she would have to bide her time with the others as well.

"Toran? Is he alright?"

"Yes, he was able to defeat his brother in an attempt to rescue you. He did come out with a few scars but I think he'll be fine knowing that his charge is safe..."

"Do you like him?" She asked quietly, wondering how the two of them got along.

"For a dragon?" She smiled slightly at his words as he scratched his chin in mock thinking. She weakly swatted at him and he couldn't help but chuckle at her antics. "Yes, I suppose he's alright..."

"And... Théoden?" Aragorn's face was bit downtrodden at the mention of the King of Rohan.

"He died in battle when he faced the Witch-king. Snowmane had collapsed atop of him when the horse was scared by his Fell Beast..."

"Éomer is King now?"

"He is to be crowned after they return to Rohan. His coronation should take place a few months ahead of mine..."

"So you are accepting the throne?" She felt pride begin to swell in her chest. She had instilled the confidence in Aragorn to claim his rightful title as the King of Gondor. However, the Ranger did not get a chance to answer.

"Aragorn! How is..." The Horse Lord did not get a chance to finish his sentence as he barged into the tent, noticing the woman sitting up in bed.

"Hello, brother..." She replied in a rather teasing tone. He could easily see the thick mirth in her hazel pools and he felt a smirk pull up at his own lips. Striding over to her bed, he shot an odd look towards the pitcher in her hands before sitting down.

"You decided to join the land of the living then?" He grabbed her foot that was poking out from underneath the blanket. He shook it slightly and she frowned before pulling her foot away.

"I couldn't really leave you merry band of roughians to fend for yourself now could I?" She teased right back. Aragorn merely smiled at the bickering between the two of them. The Horse Lord was correct that in saying that the two of them acted like children when around the other. Éomer chuckled at her words and gazed back at her with the same hazel eyes.

"No... We would be a bit lost without you to guide us..." Aragorn insisted and the Horse Lord nodded with his words.

"And the hobbits are here?" Quwen asked out of the blue. Both men shared a look before looking back to her and nodding. It was common knowledge that Frodo and Sam had been rescued from the exploding mountain. However, the woman had been unconscious when the news had arrived.

"Can I see them?" She asked after a moment of hesitance. She dearly missed Pippin who had left with Boromir and Gandalf after the feast. But upon bringing up Pippin, Boromir swarmed her mind.

Her dreams came flooding back to her and she flinched.

Both men noticed her sudden jolt of pain and worry crossed Aragorn's blue eyes. Gently pushing her back down onto the bed, he was sending her a silent warning that she would need to rest again soon.

"You can see them tomorrow... First, you must rest..." He warned her again and her hazel eyes locked with his blue ones. She feared that once she went back to sleep, there would be no awakening like the nights before.

Hearing her stomach rumble loudly, both men froze and looked at her.

"Can I eat before sleeping? I'm a bit famished! I can't remember the last time I had something in my stomach..." She lightly placed her hand on her abdomen and the men before her chuckled.

Moving to the table across the way, Aragorn brought over a tray of food. Just at the sight of the wonderfully golden bread and glorious meat, Quwen about stood up from the bed and walked across the room so she could have the food immediately.

However, she waited patiently and he placed the food before her. Taking the fork that was on the tray, Quwen ripped apart a small loaf of bread and forked the cooked meat onto it.

Nearly shoving the whole bit of food into her mouth, both men only chuckled yet she paid them no mind. Continuing to eat until the whole tray was empty, she finally sighed in contentment before leaning back against her pillows. Taking the tray and pitcher away from her, Aragorn helped her to settle once more in the bed.

"You can rest easy now knowing that Del is safe. If it wasn't for the loyalty of your valiant steed, I don't think you would have ever made it back to us. The bond between the two of you is the strongest I have ever seen..." Quwen could only smile at his kind words. "When you are well, we shall go visit him together..." He promised.

"I'm glad you are the one taking care of him..." She reached out and grasped his strong hand. He could only smile down at the one who he deemed as his second sister. Raising from the soft mattress, Éomer bent down and kissed her forehead.

Leaving the tent, he bade them goodnight and that he would bring their other friends to visit her as well in the morning.

Pulling the blankets up around her ever tiring form, Aragorn helped her to settle on the bed. Her eye lids grew heavy with every passing moment and as if Aragorn had somehow drugged her, she felt the pain in her limbs begin to fade.

Said man sat back down on the chair beside her bed.

"Aragorn, what did you do for all the days that I was unconscious...?" She sunk down into the soft mattress, preparing for sleep.

"It does not matter... Rest now..." He murmured down to her, his blue eyes gazing down at her face in contentment. He had a small smile on his lips as he watched her grow closer to sleep.

"I don't want to sleep!" She weakly protested, however her next words would still his soft movements against her skin. "What if I never wake?" The stroking of his thumb upon her forehead only stopped momentarily before he continued.

"The darkness is passed. You need not worry..." Looking up into his bright blue eyes, she found that the certainty in his eyes reassured her greatly when it came to the worry of never awakening from an endless sleep.

"I promise that I will be here when you wake up. Rest, Breeze..." He gently commanded. She complied with his words as he sat back on the chair. Closing her hazel eyes, she was so close to letting sleep claim her. Just as she was about to drift off into the warmth of a promised awakening, she heard the rustling of clothing.

Opening her eyes immediately, she felt herself turn from the sleepiness and walk back towards the light. Aragorn had moved for the doorway, leaving her alone in the tent.

"Aragorn, wait!" He paused just as he was about to step outside. He turned his head and glanced at her through the dark curtain that hung over his face. Slowly walking back inside the tent, he figured that she would need something before she finally succumbed to sleep.

"_What is it_?" He asked quietly, leaning over her slightly. She had sat up once again and he gently pushed her back down, pulling her hair over her shoulder so that it was smoothed down.

She was unsure of why she had called him back.

"I just... I wanted to say that..." She actually did not know what to say. The feelings that were running through her mind were confusing. Glancing up at Aragorn, she only saw him watching her intently, waiting patiently for an answer. "Thank you, for taking care of me this whole time... You are a true friend..."

"_Sleep now. A new day awaits you when the sun rises..._" She could feel the sleep beginning to tug on the back of her mind once more, as if Aragorn had cast a spell on her or some other trickery.

"I know you drugged me..." She mumbled before shutting her eyes. The King only chuckled at her antics before reaching out and grasping her hand.

Lying back down on the bed, Aragorn tucked the blankets tightly around her and waited until she was completely lost to the blackness of sleep, a small smile on her lips. Rising once more, he made to patrol camp and spread the news that Quwen was indeed going to live which would cause many to rejoice.

* * *

"When do you think she'll wake up?"

"I don't know."

"Do you think it will be soon?"

"I don't _know!_"

"I hope she does. How long has she been asleep?"

"Pip, I don't _know!_" Merry growled and the duos conversation roused Quwen from her once peaceful sleep. However, her eyes remained closed as she listened to the two of them converse just outside.

"Alright! You don't have to yell at me!"

"No, but apparently I have to repeat myself one thousand times before you get it!"

"Lads! Stop your jabbering lest you wake the lass!" Quwen also smiled slightly at the familiar voice of her dwarf companion. Minutes passed as the dwarf continued to growl at them and Quwen retained a laugh at hearing all his grumbling. However, the soft voice that spoke next reassured her that they were not alone.

"Gimli, are you sure you aren't a woman? You're doing more nagging than any normal mother would!" Legolas teased and she could hear the smirk in his voice. Noticing for the first time that her hand was enveloped in something once more, she cracked her eyes open. Just as he had promised, Aragorn was asleep at her side once again, his hands closed around her own.

Sitting up slightly, she let out a small hiss of pain when fire radiated out from the cut on her chest. However, it did not deter her when she leaned forward and kissed Aragorn's cheek. Feeling the contact, the King opened his eyes and raised his head up.

Sleep still riddled his thoughts and she could only smile at the lazy grin he was giving her. He had kept his promise that he would be there when she woke up.

"You kept your promise..." She murmured, a slight smile on her lips. He could only stare back at her.

"I would never break a promise to you..." His voice was low as he gently rubbed her hand in his own pair, the calloused fingers lightly tracing over the small cuts on her skin. "Would you like something to eat?"

She sat up straighter on the bed when he mentioned food. Chuckling to himself, he didn't even wait for her answer before he had a plate teeming with food on her lap.

Digging into the fluffy eggs and toast, Quwen's stomach felt full once more. Expanding to its capacity, she had to stop eating her third plate of food. Aragorn even advised her that it would be best if she stopped, for it would be terrible if her stomach ruptured. She would undoubtedly die then.

The color had returned to her cheeks and her hazel eyes bloomed with mirth as she chewed happily. She only placed the last bit of food back down on the plate, happy now that her stomach was full.

Aragorn ate the third plate that she was supposed to have. Not wanting the food to go to waste, he ate her final plate without a second word.

"Can they see me now?" She asked suddenly, causing the King to look up from his morning, closer to afternoon, meal. He took a long drink of water from his cup before setting it down and nodding to her.

Standing up, he placed the food off to the side before heading towards the tent flaps. Stepping outside momentarily, the flaps closed behind him and the merry chattering seemed to halt all at once. Listening intently, Quwen could hear his soft mumming as he told them not to pressure her with too many questions about what had happened.

There was silence as Aragorn stepped back into the tent and let the warm breeze drift in through the opening. There was also an uncanny silence before the two small mortals burst into the tent. Their wild and curly hair bounced around as they ran towards the woman.

Both of them slammed into her right side, careful to not hurt the other side of her wounded chest. Enveloping her in a hug, she returned the warm gesture with a laugh as she held the two hobbits to her.

"Quwen! We were so worried about you!" Pippin cheered once they finally pulled back. The woman couldn't help the wide smile on her face as she looked at the two of them, both their faces mirroring her own.

"Actually, I wasn't worried one bit. I know that you're tough as nails! Pip here, on the other hand, couldn't stop worrying!" Merry teased slightly and for the first time, she noticed the hobbits were slightly bruised and scratched.

"I thank you for your support of my strength, Master hobbit..." She was just going to make another smart remark when three others entered the tent. Beaming up at them, the hobbits continued to chatter on endlessly to one another.

"The lass lives!" Gimli cried as he stomped over to her in his boots. He had a merry smile on his face as he gently patted her on the back. Boromir and Legolas both stood back a short distance, large smiles on their faces as well. She cast a slightly weary look towards Boromir's direction but it was quickly depleted as he chuckled at the hobbits as they swarmed her.

The two smaller people of the group continued to bombard her with questions and Quwen looked up once again, seeing that Gandalf had also entered the King's tent. He stood near the back with Aragorn, chuckling alongside the Ranger.

"How did you escape the tower? We watched it go crashing to the ground!" Merry whacked his friend on the arm, sending him a harsh look. The younger hobbit only frowned and rubbed his sore appendage. "What?!"

"Aragorn said not to ask her about it!" Raising an eyebrow, she looked to the dark haired man in the corner. He only shrugged his shoulders innocently and Quwen gave him a pointed, yet amused, look before turning back to her companions.

"I won't mind talking about it..." She told them quietly, glancing back at Aragorn briefly. "In fact, I can hardly remember a thing..."

"What _do_ you remember?"

"I remember..." She closed her eyes as she tried to bring the memories back to the surface. "I remember... the darkness and... the cold..." They all watched as her forehead creased as she tried extremely hard to recall what the tower was like.

"There were orcs and... _He_ was there..." Gandalf had stepped forward towards the girl as if he could feel the dark energy radiating off her, dispelling off her person as she brought up the dark memories.

"Who was there?" She didn't answer and Gandalf stepped forward. Kneeling down to her level, he grasped her hands in concern. "Quwen, who was there?"

"S-Sauron..." The dark name left her lips and everyone in the tent grew silent. Releasing a deep breath, she relaxed a bit as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"He spoke to you?" The wizard questioned, his blue eyes trained on her form. She could only nod before opening her eyes to stare the wizard straight in the face.

"He said..." She was about to continue but she glanced in Aragorn's direction. The wizard caught the change in her gaze and nodded in understanding. The wizard stood and faced the rest of the Fellowship.

"If you would all leave us..." He inclined his head for everyone to leave. Aragorn remained for a moment, expecting that he was to hear what she had to say. However, Gandalf sent the King a look that told him he was to leave as well.

Once the tent was once again emptied, Quwen looked up from where she had been staring at her hands in her lap.

"What did he say?" The wizard inquired as he began to pace about the room. Quwen took another deep and calming breath before she focused her hazel eyes on the man clothed in white.

"He knew about the relationship I had with Aragorn..." He nodded at her words. "He said that if I died, Aragorn would crumble and Gondor would fall..." Gandalf stopped his pacing to look at her.

"I told him that he was wrong..." She murmered and Gandalf raised his eyes to look at her somber face. She glanced up too, her hazel eyes filled with a strange softness.

"You were correct in your assumptions. Aragorn is a strong willed man. However..." He looked up to the blonde woman, a slight smile on his lips as he met her hazel eyes. "Behind every strong man is an even stronger woman..."

"When I first met you, I knew that you, Quwen, Lady of the North would be great. Upon our first meeting in the woods, I knew that you were destined for something greater than you could have ever imagined..."

"Thank you for always having faith in me, Gandalf..." The older man sat down on the edge of her cot and held her soft hand.

"It has been the greatest pleasure I have ever know, my dear!" He beamed down at her, the woman returning the smile. It was only another moment of shared silence before the older man once again walked outside the tent.

The Fellowship returned after he had left and once again indulged her in conversation. As Aragorn stood off to the side again, he watched as the woman's eyes lit up as her friends continued to entertain her.

Éomer had visited her later in the day as well. The rest of her friends had stayed for the rest of the day. It seemed as though they would not leave the woman alone, especially with her thoughts.

They had all ate in the tent as well, much laughter occurring and drifting around the camp that many people heard. There was much teasing and joking about Quwen's luck about how she escaped the tower. It was seemingly impossible how she had escaped the clutches of the now passed Dark Lord.

As the day progressed and night neared, Quwen felt the exhaustion begin to seep back into her system. Her eyes began to grow heavy yet her adopted family just continued to laugh merrily and chatter on endlessly. They all told their separate tales of their battle experiences.

However, only two of them noticed when her eyes drifted shut. Her head lay in her hand yet her hazel eyes were closed as she slept.

"I believe that only six of the seven members of the present Fellowship are still among us..." Legolas said quietly enough not to wake her yet loud enough that everyone would hear him.

The all shared a look of confusion for a moment before he nodded to Quwen's sleeping form. Without another word, the remaining members of the Fellowship began to file out of the tent. Aragorn bade them all goodnight however Boromir stayed behind for a moment.

"She seems to be dealing well with it. For being so close to death, she sure seems to be embracing life now..." They both looked at her now laid down form. She hadn't awoken since they had moved her. Her hair was splayed around her head, looking like a golden halo. All the worry was gone from her face as she rested peacefully.

"I think that we have all helped her keep the memories away. I'm just worried that it will come back to haunt her later..." Aragorn voiced his concerns as he began to lead Boromir away.

"Any news about Faramir?" The King changed the subject to the Steward's younger brother. He bobbed his head in reply.

"He sent me a messenger explaining that repairs are already beginning in the city. Also, he is faring better since you treated him. Say, was Quwen effected by the same thing that he was?" It was Aragorn's turn to nod his head.

"This is the most occurences of Black Breath that I have ever dealt with..."

"Well, hopefully it will be the last!"

"Indeed..." The two men grew silent as they strode about the camp. The men still continued to celebrate their new freedom, however less vigorously than the first few days. One could only celebrate for so long.

Breathing in the fresh night air, Aragorn's careful eyes gazed around his camp.

"Do you think that they will get along?" He looked at the Steward with a questioning glance. "Quwen and Faramir?" The King thought the question over for a moment. He played with the charm around his neck in thought.

"If he's just as charming as you are, I'm sure that she'll love him!" Both men chuckled before Boromir bumped shoulders with the King playfully.

"Quwen is a soft hearted woman. Sometimes I think that she loves too easily..." A bit of bitterness was in the Steward's voice but Aragorn did not catch it as he was still focused on the thoughts of Quwen meeting the younger Gondorian.

"Sometimes that is not a weakness in a person. It is what makes them unbelievably strong. A tree only grows stronger when its nurtured with love..."

"Well, I'm sure Quwen would love to nurture you!" Boromir teased, the bitterness gone from his voice. Aragorn only laughed at the Steward's teasing. "Believe me, her feelings for you are not so hidden, my lord!" He clapped the man on his shoulder as he beamed.

"Oh, please. I'm sure Quwen no longer loves me..."

"And why is that?" The King looked at the Steward, his jaw clenched as he wondered if he should reveal exactly what happened between him and the woman.

"Before I left to retrieve the Army of the Dead, I told her that I didn't love her..."

"Why would you do that?" Boromir asked, slightly wondering if Quwen really did not love the King of Gondor after all. This may be Boromir's second chance with the woman who he still loved.

"We weren't supposed to make it out from underneath the mountain. I didn't want her to have to die and leave her to that terrible fate... She did not desrve to die like that..."

"So she stayed behind?"

"No..." Boromir looked over at the man with a raised eyebrow. "She went and found the dragons!" The both shared amused smiles, knowing that Quwen would do the impossible.

"Who would have ever believed that they weren't just legend?" He smiled slightly at the Steward. Boromir only smirked before shaking his head, his reddish brown hair tossing about.

"She is an amazing woman..." He began but Aragorn picked up from where the Steward had left off. "And she is a woman I would like to make Queen one day..." Boromir stopped walking and looked at the man, bewilderment on his face.

"She is not of noble birth..." Boromir tried in vain.

"When I am King, that will not matter..." Aragorn said as he continued to walk away from the man, determination smoldering in his blue eyes as he ventured back to the tent to change her dressings before he himself would sleep soundly for the first time in days.

Knowing that he would see her again in the morning, his dreams would be peaceful and serene.

* * *

**Pumped another chapter out! Woo hoo!**

**So anyway, the score right now for the Hobbit story is: Thorin: 2, Fili:2. **

**I need more people to vote and I need more people to review! I didn't get that many reviews last chapter and their seems to be a steady decrease in their numbers! Please just leave me some tidbit of feedback cause I love hearing from you guys!**

**Anyway, I hoped that you guys liked their happy reunion. Toran is alright. Del is alright. Aragorn is happy. Quwen is alive. Life is good. At least in Middle Earth anyway. **

**Thanks to all who did review! I appreciate you guys muchly and if I get one hundred reviews by the end of the story, I'll do something special for all of you! Don't know what that is but I'll figure it out...**

**But I still have a few more chapters to get through before I reach the end so you have nothing to worry about. **

**Thanks and review!**

**Love, **

**Blue**


	13. Chapter 13

**Third Person's POV**

On the third day that Quwen had awoken, she had felt the strength returning to her limbs. Sitting up slowly, she found that her chest was not as tender as it was the day before.

Looking under the wrappings on her chest, she frowned a little when she caught her own smell.

Deciding that she properly needed to clean herself and her wounds, she slowly swung her bad leg over the bed. The other soon joined it and she stared at her bare feet as she decided whether or not to try and stand.

Also peeling back the layer of bandages on her leg, she inspected the wound for the first time.

It wasn't all that dreadful yet it was wide. She was surprised that Aragorn didn't give her stitches but understood why when she the the Athelas plant stenching the father had taught her how to use the plant for various purposes, seeing how it grew in great amounts in the Northern lands. Except, her father was not the reason Quwen had ever wanted to be a healer.

No, Quwen had wanted to become a healer ever since she had met a woman on the road when she had been younger. She was undeniably beautiful and kind to the younger girl when they had first met. It was unbelievable how great of a healer she was.

However, she was traveling with the strangest company she had ever seen.

Hearing footsteps on the grass outside, she looked up just as Aragorn entered the tent. His eyes were on the ground but had risen to see her sitting form as she stared at her feet in thought.

"You're up already..." He voiced his thoughts. Quwen couldn't help but smile slightly and nod, knowing that she was known to be one of the heavier sleepers of the Fellowship.

"I wished to get up and walk a bit? See how well my leg is?" She inclined her head slightly, telling him that she really wished to just stand on her toes. "Bathing would also be wonderful... I smell of orcs..." She grumbled as she adjusted her torn tunic.

Aragorn moved to stand beside her and he held out his hands to her. Placing her hands in his own, she used her good leg to support all her weight. Slowly placing her other foot on the ground, she barely placed any weight upon it.

The King stepped back and gave her room to move but he held her at arms length and barely grasped the tips of her fingers. Taking a small step, she placed her weight upon the wounded leg and quickly stepped forward with her other foot.

Pain slowly radiated upwards but she bit her lip to keep the groan inside her mouth. Aragorn sensed her pain and stepped forward once again to support her in his arms. She tightly grasped onto his shoulders as she struggled to stay standing.

"Maybe you should rest..."

"No!" She panted as she tried to get the pain back under control. "I-I want to walk!" Quwen protested as she looked up into Aragorn's blue eyes. Hazel irises determinedly burned back into his and he had to look away due to the fire blazing inside.

Obeying her wish, he moved off to her right side, ready to support her weakened side. Slinging her arm over his head, he carried most of her weight as she readied herself to limp along.

By the time they reached the door, a thin sheet of sweat covered her brow. Her hair clung to her face once more and once they reached the tent flaps, Aragorn decided it would be best if she rested.

"Let's at least go outside..." She said between deep breaths. "We've made it this far..." Once again, Aragorn assumed his position at her side. Pushing open the tent flaps, they stepped out into the sun for the first time.

As it bathed her in its glow, she felt some of the normality return to her life. Making it only to just outside the tent and to the fire that crackled a few feet away, one of the Gondorian soldiers appeared by his King's side and presented the blonde woman with a chair.

Sitting down heavily, she sighed as the same man also brought a footstool to her, acoompanied with a pillow. Aragorn gently placed her leg on the cushion, acting as if he were her servant. She weakly swatted at him again, earning a chuckle from the man.

Maybe he was not meant to be the King afterall. He made a rather wonderful servant.

There was a sudden commotion as the hobbits once again swarmed the lady the moment they had caught sight of her. Peppering her with questions and stories again, she was entertained by the hobbits for a few hours.

Aragorn had left her to go and attend to Kingly things she supposed.

"And the next thing I knew, Lady Éowyn had pulled him up into the back of her horse!" Pippin and Merry both laughed at the woman's face when she found out the the White Lady had ridden to war with the Rohirrim.

Both hobbits suddenly grew quiet as a large shadow fell over the group. The two halflings both shook slightly from fear and she suddenly felt warm air blow on the back of her neck. It blew her tangled hair around her and she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face before she even turned around.

"Toran!" She slowly turned to face the dragon. His large green eyes seemed to sparkle with mirth as the brown dragon looked down upon his charge. Standing with the help of the hobbits, the woman let the dragon press his slightly smoking snout into her stomach.

Wrapping her arms around his wide nose, he gently lifted her off the ground. The woman laughed merrily as her feet dangled in the air.

"I have missed you greatly, my lady..." Another wave of smoke came from his nose as he chuckled. He was extremely glad that his charge was safe. In the short time that they were together, the dragon had taken a great liking to the girl.

Well, she was indeed a woman but to him, she was only a child in her eighty five years of age.

"I have also missed you as well!" She shut her eyes in contentment as she continued to cling onto the dragon's nose. After another long moment, he gently pla ced her feet back on the ground. Helping her to steady herself on her feet, the hobbits continued to stare up in awe at the beast.

"My little masters, I would like to introduce you to Toran, mighty Prince of the Dragons... and my friend..."

"Being your friend is as big of an accomplishment as being a Prince?" The brown dragon scowled at her slightly and the woman just chuckled. Mirth shown clearly in her hazel eyes.

"I am held in very high esteem thank you very much! Most people think themselves honored that they have my friendship!" She told the dragon who meerely blew another bit of smoke in her face. Finally noticing the large scratch across one of his green eyes, the woman frowned slightly.

"Anloric?" She could see the large dragon deflate slightly at the mention of his brother. His wings drooped only the slightest and his eyes diverted to the ground.

"We could not come to terms with one another so I had to end it..." Her own face fell at the disappointment that the dragon showed. It would be hard to kill someone's own brother, even if you were not closely bonded to one another.

"Anloric only chose the wrong path, as did Smaug. Not everyone has a strong as heart as you do, Toran. Love is a strong shield against the darkness that threatens to claim all of us. You were only doing it to protect the ones you love and that is what a Prince would do..." She reassured her dragon friend as she gently clutched onto one of the scales on his legs.

The beast only peered down at her. Another bit of warmth flooded across her face as he breathed upon her before he gently nudged her with his snout once more. All the while, she could hear the hobbits talking quietly behind her, mostly certainly about the dragon before her.

"You are a great ally and an even greater friend... No one is condeming you because of your actions..." His eyes searched hers for a moment before his tail twitched back and forth in thought.

"For being such a _child_, your mind is so full of wisdom..." He teased and Quwen felt her eyebrows draw together at his empty humor.

"You are aware that you are a child in your race as well!?" She bickered right back at him, hardly skipping a beat. The hobbits were amazed at how she spoke to the large beast as if she was not fearful of him at all. In reality, she didn't fear him. He was just like Del save for the fact that Del could not speak.

She was beginning to miss that characteristic.

"I am not a child!... I am a young adult!"

"In my race, I am the prime example of a middle aged adult, thank you very much!" She snapped and the dragon simply chuckled. "Don't you have to be elsewhere?" She mused yet her eyes continued to twinkle with mischief.

"Yes, I suppose I could go for a walk..."

"Indeed! Go for a walk, you are interrupting my nap time!"

"Only old women need a nap time!" He teased and she reached out to swat at him again.

The dragon meerly blew smoke in her direction before trotting away, glancing over at her over his shoulder. She merely waved him away with her hand before turning back to the hobbits.

The future King of Gondor and the wizard had watched the exchange off to the side, Quwen was not aware that the two of them were watching her heavily.

"Why is it that Toran is so close to her?"

"There are many legends when it comes to dragons, my friend. However, I believe that there is one of the legends that could explain Quwen's current predicament. You see, dragons are born with half a soul..." The Ranger's eyes widened a bit at the revelation.

"Dragons need to find that other part of their soul if they wish to live a full, long life. For a dragon's heart can be easily weakened without its soul to support it. Now, dragons can find the other half of their soul with another dragons. Some find mates, some find the other half of their sould with a sibling... and others find the missing part of their souls elsewhere..." The wizard's eyes slowly drifted over to Quwen who was still chatting feverishly with the hobbits.

"You mean to say that Quwen is...?"

"I believe that she is the other half to the dragon Prince's soul..." He stated matter of factly. This worried Aragorn a bit. "You have nothing to fear, though. Toran will only be a loving protector. He will also make her soul warmth with happiness..."

Aragorn was a bit downtrodden at the wizard's words.

"However, there is only one certain love that he can not give..." Raising his blue eyes to meet the wizard's, the old man smiled knowingly. Aragorn smiled after a moment, patting the wizard on the back.

Quwen relaxed back into the chair that had been provided for her. Toran had indeed raised her spirits and the world seemed a bit brighter if possible.

"And then, Pippin came tumbing down the hill ontop of me and we landed square on Frodo and Sam!" Merry exclaimed, causing another fit of laughter from the woman before him.

"You didn't break anything, did you?"

"Only a few carrots. It was a shame really. I would have taken a broken finger over a broken carrot..." Pippin added in and Quwen just smiled at them once more. Hobbits.

"And then we happened to stumble across some mushrooms!"

"Do you ever think of anything but food?" The woman asked even though she already knew the answer to the quesiton. It was a definite no.

Waiting patently for their answer, the woman adjusted herself in her chair. Her back was becoming a bit stiff from sitting so long. Toran would have to take her flying later. The sun had crossed over their heads during the afternoon and now the shinning orb was getting closer to the horizon.

"Nevermind about the food hobbits, help me up so I can walk!" She demanded and the hobbits complied without question. Moving to stand beside her, they offered her their hands but she didn't use them and instead opted to use their heads.

Gripping their head of curls in each hand, the hobbits kept the squeals of pain inside them as she pulled herself up. Once settled upon her own to feet, she slowly turned around.

The camp had grown eerily quiet in that moment. Wondering why the camp had grown so silent, she looked up from where her eyes had been focused on her feet as she had wished to take another step.

Finding the reason for the camp falling silent, she watched as a familiar head of hair came through the parted crowd of soliders. Quwen could only watch as Éomer walked towards her, the corners of his mouth quirked up in a smile. Stopping a few feet away from her, he bowed his head slightly before moving to the side.

A familiar speckled stallion was walking along at a steady pace through the split sea of Rohirrim and Gondorian soldiers.

No saddle adorned his back, no briddle lay on his face, no bit was in his mouth.

No, the horse walking towards her was a free stallion once again. His long mane billowed gently in the warm wind that also touched her soft skin. His body was once again healthy with weight that he had regained since their arrival in the camp.

The men were dead silent as the stallion stopped a few feet away from her, his dark brown eyes trained on her fragile form.

A sense of her old home returned to her then as she gazed at the speckled beast. The only remaining piece of her home that she had left. The animal that had stayed with her all those years.

The horse that would have carried her across all Middle Earth if she asked it of him.

He stood proud and strong before her, showing no sign of aging and he reminded her of the horse that had followed behind her all those years, bringing him into the most terrible of situations only for him to bring her out unschathed.

Feeling a wetness on her cheeks on her cheeks, she realized that she had begun crying. Using what strength she could muster, the woman tried ignoring the pain as she took a small step forward. Struggling a bit, she slowly but surely made her way towards the horse.

Despite the pain, Quwen wrapped her arms around the horse's neck and laid her head against his fur, feeling the warmth radiate off him. A sob wracked her body then as she just stayed beside her steed, never moving, never saying a word until a thought struck her.

"_Delgaranor... You brought me home_..." She whispered against the soft speckled coat of his neck before she gently kissed one of his spots.

There was not enough words in the world to give thanks to the horse that had been so loyal to her throughout her whole life. She did not deserve a horse as valuable as he. Yet, for some reason, he had chosen her to be his rider.

Moving slowly and silently, Quwen trailed her hands along his soft coat until she reached his side. Reaching a hand up into his mane, she gripped tightly to the longer fur.

Feeling as if the pain had melted away by some sort of magic, she was able to slowly pull herself upon the stallion's back. Sitting tall, Del only nickered as he found comfort in the weight of his rider.

Bending forward, she leaned on the horse's neck as she stroked the side of it once more.

"I don't know what I'd do without you..." She whispered again. Her hazel eyes looked up to find Éomer approaching her with a broad grin on his face.

"Thank you so much, brother..." She gave him a watery smile as he patted her on the knee. Nodding off in the direction of the sun, he stepped back and gave her the silent signal that she could go.

Sharing another grateful smile, she turned her horse towards the setting sun. It bathed them in its warm orange glow and her mouth dropped open in awe.

Since the destruction of Sauron, the world would only grow strong once again. The people of Middle Earth would heal the land and bring forth a new area of peace and love. Hope bloomed in her chest as she gazed at the setting sun. The world would heal itself. The future looked brighter for all of them and Quwen wanted to be part of that future.

With a swift kick to the side, Quwen urged the horse forward. Feeling fire bloom beneath his feet, Delgaranor reered up and everyone around watched in awe as the golden haired woman grasped onto her tall, fiery steed as his feet pawed the empty air.

Aragorn had never seen anything more beautiful in his life.

It did not take Del anymore urging to get him moving. The horse raced down the hill, his legs brushing against the tall grass. The simplest things in life were now so important to her. Being so close to death, she had realized that she had never apppreciated the most important things in her life.

And now she would.

* * *

Aragorn waited impatinetly in his tent. He was seated on his own bed, the one that Quwen had been using for the last couple of days. Running his hands over the soft blankets, it was as if he could still feel her there.

Hhe had seen her happy, the happiest that she had been in awhile.

A few hours had passed since she had left. The threat of Sauron was gone, however, he wouldn't doubt that some orcs still remained in Middle Earth. However, his worry would not last very long.

Hearing the clomping of hooves coming up to the tent, he rose from his bed. Stepping outside, he watched as Quwen came trotting up on Del, her face lit with a bright smile.

Smiling himself, he jogged over to her and he held his arms up. She leaned out over Del's side and placed her hands on the man's shoulders. He placed his hands on her hips and carefully pulled the woman from her horse.

Carrying most of he weight, he was still surprised at how much weight she had lost. It was almost unhealthy but he had seen how heartily she had been eating lately and he knew that he had nothing to worry about.

"I trust your ride was relaxing...?" He greeted her as he carefully set her on her feet. She continued to hold onto him for balance.

"Ineed it was! I've missed riding simply for the fun of it..." She smiled at him and his breathing caught in his throat after a moment. Reaching up, he gently pulled a blade of golden grass from her hair. She was so beautiful.

The sun had set hours ago and now the moonlight cast a soft silvery glow over her face. Just like back at the Anduin, before they had chased after the hobbits, he could hardly contain himeself and his future actions.

His fingers grazed her rosy cheek and he saw something stir in her soft hazel eyes. For they only contained a certain softness for him.

"Breeze..." He breathed and he watched as she shut her eyes. Placing one of his arms around her back, he cupped her cheek before closing his own eyes. Carefully lowering his lips onto her own, he relished the feeling of her in his arms.

One of her hands came from his shoulder to gently touch his cheek which was covered in rough stubble. It ghosted over his face until it slowly found its way into his hair where her fingers ran over the silky locks. Her thumb carefully stroked the side of his neck and Aragorn found himself lost in her soft touch.

Pulling back momentarily, the King rested his forehead against her own, his blue eyes gleaming in the moonlight. A slow smile spread across her lips as she opened her eyes. Deciding that this was the right time and that she was in a well enough condition, he thought it best to tell her, lest she get carried off by another dragon before he could.

"I love you..." He breathed and his warm breath spread across her face. Her smile faltered for a moment and something else lay beneath her hazel pools. Aragorn felt panic begin to rise in his chest but it was quickly extinguished when she kissed him again. Closing his eyes, he felt a warm puddle of delight pool in his stomach.

"You have no idea as to how long I have waited for you to say those words... I love you, too..." She whispered back against his lips before genlty his them once again. Shairng another kiss full of need and wanting, his hands moved to her neck before they gently pulled apart.

"Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?" He said lightly and she couldn't help but smile in her dream-like state. It felt as if her body weighed nothing as she stood in the arms of the man who loved her.

"Only you..." She breathed again as her thumb continued to stroke the side of his neck.

"And I hope to be the only man to ever do so..." He breathed back and he watched as her eyes strayed from his face and down to the necklace around his neck. Gently touching the charm, she couldn't help but smile up at him again.

"It protected you when I could not...?" She asked and the King of Gondor nodded his head. The charm was in a great need for cleaning yet the sapphires still glittered brilliantly in the moonlight.

"It was what gave me hope when you could not be found..." He told her as he stroked another few strands of hair from her face.

"Then you will not need it anymore!" She beamed before placing another chaste kiss on his lips. Letting the necklace fall back onto his chest, it settled in place between the slight v of his soft tunic. Sensing that she was implying something, he released her and was about to undo the glasp behind his neck.

Smiling slightly, she stopped his motions and held his hands in her own. "But that does not mean that I do not wish you to have it..."

Hearing a sudden sniff and nicker behind her, she remembered that Del had been behind them the entire time. Both of them chuckled before Aragorn reached around the woman and patted the steed firmly on the neck.

"I will be forever indebted to you for bringing Quwen back, _my friend_..." They both smiled widely at the horse. Reaching out with his long nose, he sniffed at Quwen's clothes before tossing his head about.

With curiousity, Aragorn picked up the dirtied fabric of her shirt between his fingers and brought it to his nose. Pulling his nose away from the smell, he couldn't help but let his face twist in humored disgust.

Feeling emberassed, Quwen swatted at his arm with a look of fake anger but in reality, she knew that she smelled terrible.

"Your clothes..." Aragorn could only respond and she shook her head.

"I know!" He chuckled and watched as she raised the cloth to her nose herself, as if making sure that it was her that smelled. Learning that she was, she sent Aragorn a questioning look before he gave her an answer.

"Orcs..." She bobbed her head in agreement.

"I really need a bath!" She whinned. Aragorn could only think things through for a moment.

"Then a bath is what you shall get! There is a stream just over the hill in a small grove of trees..." He motioned with his head to the intended hill and she followed his eyes. Looking down at her leg, she gave him the silent signal that she could not walk over to the stream.

Getting the jist of her request, he bent down and brought his arm underneath her legs. Using his other arm to support her back, he gently lifted her into his arms. Leaning her head against his shoulder, they stopped back at the tentntarily to get a few towels and even a bar of soap.

Setting her back down on his bed, he also gathered the clothes that had been placed in his tent for when she had wanted to change clothes.

Placing the items into her arms, he helped her to stand and once again he pulled her into his strong arms.

Carrying her to the stream, he sat her down on a rock beside the water as he reassured her that he would take care of Del and return him to the paddock. Leaving her to clean herself, she made sure that he was gone before she began to pull her boots off.

She also pulled her socks off and what was left of the breeches on her legs. Being careful as to not strain her chest, she slowly pulled the dirty tunic over her head. Quwen also began to pull at the strings of her worn out bodice before tossing it aside.

The only thing that remained on her body were the bandages and she also pulled them off. Dried blood still stained her skin, causing the wounds to appear much worse than they really were.

Using the rocks around her, she carefully lowered herself into the bubbling creek. Scrubbing at her skin with the block of soap, Quwen worked to remove the dirt and blood from her body. The water was extremely cold and after a few minutes of sitting in the water, she began to shiver.

Knowing that she should just finish, she dunked her head into the clear water around her. Wetting her hair, she at one point had tried to untangle the mess on the top of her head. After a few shivering minutes, she gave up and returned to shore to dry on the land.

Using the soft towels, she cleared her body of the cold water. Holding up the clothes provided for her, she rubbed at the soft red fabric between her fingers. Slidding the tunic over her head, she decided that she would have to wait for her bodice was in need of cleaning so she would wait to wear it. She also pulled the tan breeches over the sore wound on her leg before tying them snuggly in place.

Relief filled her when the warmth from the clothes surrounded her. Not realising how wonderful it felt to be clean, she dunked her bodice in the water as she tried to clean it with the fragerent soap bar.

Leaving her boots off, she once again tried to detangle her hair as she patiently waited for Aragorn to return. She was able to get half of the tangles out before she heard footsteps through the bushes.

His dark hair emerged first before his smile was illuminated in the moonlight.

Aragorn stepped up to her once more. Holding his hands out, she gently placed hers in his before he pulled her from the ground and into his arms once more. She had gathered up her dirty clothes before hand and her loose hair swayed slightly in the cool night's breeze.

Quwen then felt a nose nuzzle the side of her neck and laughed as it had caused goosebumps to travel up her skin. Aragorn could only smile when he felt her body shake from laughter and continued to run his nose along her jaw and neck.

"You smell a lot better..." He whispered into her ear, causing her to laugh merrily once again. It was just music to his ears.

Carrying her across camp, Quwen had origionally believed that she was to be in the tent from before but was confused when he carried her to a tent only a short distance from the other.

The smaller tent was lit with a few candles and the flames caused shadows to dance on the fabric inside. Upon stepping inside, the man set her down on the soft cot in the corner of the tent.

The candles illuminted her hazel eyes and as he looked into them, he found quesitons lying underneath the surface.

"Why are we in this tent?" She asked quietly and then it was his turn to look confused.

"I had a tent made up for you..."

"Whose tent was I sleeping in before?" She asked even though she had a sneaking suspicion as to whose tent it was. A sudden blush crept across her cheeks and she covered them with her hands. "I was sleeping in your bed wasn't I?" She asked even though she knew the answer. It was obvious to her now. The black and silver fabric and the quality of the work done.

When he did not answer, she let out a noise of both frustration and emberrassment.

"Aragorn! What would the men think if they saw me emerge from your tent?" She shook her head as it lay in her hands. Seeing the woman in distress, Aragorn sat down on the bed beside her before pulling her hands away from her face. He held them in his own before looking into her hazel eyes.

"They would know that you were taken under my care... They all know what happened..."

"They all know?" She looked slightly horrified at this new bit of news.

"Well, they know how you escaped and that is all. You have nothing to fear..." He gently kissed her temple to try and reassure her that everything would be alright. She simply leaned against him for a moment, finding warmth and comfort from the man beside her. Things would be alright.

A yawn suddenly escaped her throat, causing the man to smile slightly.

"There are bandages on the bedside table, along with some Athelas. It would be best for you to tend to them tonight. Get some rest for tomorrow, we make for Minas Tirith at noon..." He told her. He could see the uncertainty build in her eyes at the mention of the city and he placed a soft kiss on her pink lips.

Quwen was disappointed that they had not been against her own longer and when she opened her eyes she saw him moving to the tent flaps.

"Good night, my lady..." He bowed his head slightly, causing her to smile. His blue eyes gleamed in the candle light and Quwen could now see the regality in which he held himself.

"Good night, my King..." She replied and also bowed her head. Ducking out of sight, she noticed that her pile of old clothing had disappeared, along with her boots. Letting those thoughts slip from her mind, she set to work on wrapping the bandages around her wounds after she had applied some Athelas to ward off infection.

Pulling back the thick blankets on her bed, she carefully slid under the covers, feeling refreshed and like a new woman now that both her body and soul was now clean.

Aragorn had said he loved her. And did that make her giddy like a young girl with a crush.

It was a shame when she felt her eyes begin to grow heavy with sleep. No, she did not wish to let herself fall into the darkness once more. Her reality was so great that she did not wish to return to the land of dreams.

"You were right, Mother..." She slipped from her body and into sleep, a slight smile on her lips, knowing that her mother had been right all along. A man would come to love her.

* * *

**He finally said it! *throws fist into the air***

**Anyway, I thought I would celebrate a bit knowing that he finally said those three sweet words that every fangirl wants to hear. Hope you all liked this chapter. I think I kind of did. **

**I made up the bit about dragons and their souls. I just thought it would explain Toran's clingyness with her. **

**Okay, the scene with Del. I legit started crying when I was writing this. I don't know if it did the same thing to you, but I was watching the movie, Spirit (the animated horse movie) and I was at the final scene when I reached that part of the chapter. **

**Also, I listened to The Grey Havens from the soundtrack as I was writing the Del reunion scene. **

**I got twelve reviews last chapter. Twelve. That. Is. Brilliant.**

**Have I ever mentioned how wonderful you guy are? How exactly amazing you guys have been? (I think so but that's alright!). **

**How about we get another ten for this chapter? I would love it if we did!**

**Oh, by the way the score is Thorin: 6, Fili: 4. Oh, boy Thorin. You're starting to pull ahead. Except, I suspect that things with my character and his might turn out very badly if it were to be a Thorin/OC because their will be certain things wrong with their relationship. I mean, it would pin them against one another. **

**So, please continued to vote! Cause, as soon as this one is done, I might take a short break, maybe finish my other pending stories before writing the hobbit. I need a vacation. **

**Love you guys,**

**Blue**


	14. Chapter 14

**Third Person's POV**

The gentle winds that blew across the long fields before the camp carried with them the pleasant promises of another grand day. The warm breeze gently blew into the tan tent flaps, causing them to flutter in their wake.

A few long strands of golden grass had billowed into the tent on the current of warm air. It also brought with it the sweet smell of honey and freshly baked bread that had been warming over the fire outside.

The soft grass gently teased at her cheek, causing her hand to slip from the cover of her blankets to brush the ticklish blades away. The wonderful smell had also helped to bring her to her senses and slowly, her hazel eyes opened.

Stretching, the woman moved her limbs which ached with sleep. Working the stiffness from her wounds, she slowly sat up. She found that the pain in her chest had lessened even more since the day before.

Her leg was another matter entirely.

After moving her legs to the side, she had tried to stand, a task in which she found herself successful. However, when she came to taking a step, Quwen about fell over.

She shouldn't have worked it so much yesterday. For once, why hadn't she listened to Aragorn?

She braced herself on the table in her room, her hands tightly gripping the dark oak wood. They were in a rather sore state as they were covered with scratches from her escape. The glass had cut deeply into her palms but her hands had been the least of her worries when it came to pain.

Looking down at her bare toes, she wiggled them slightly, wondering if she should put shoes on. However, when she heard voices outside, the thought of shoes was lost to her.

She hobbled outside and into the warm rays of the sun, the orb in the sky greeting her with much enthusiasm. At the same moment that she excited the tent, the flaps to the opposing one opened as well.

Aragorn seemed to feel her eyes upon him as he strode from his tent. A wide smile adorned his face at the sight of the woman, his spirits immediately raising.

Straightening her back, she attempted to hide the pain in her leg but she couldn't help the slight wince that pulled at her features when she placed weight upon it.

The man was immediately at her side, one arm sliding around her waist, the other holding her arm. He looked down at her feet, noticing that her small pink toes where curling subconsciously in the grass. He found it rather cute.

"I thought I advised you to rest more today..." He chuckled slightly as she bristled upon hearing his words. She looked up at him and saw the mirth in his eyes.

"I remember no such words spilling from your lips!" She protested and he smiled at her again.

"Well, we will be riding for most of the day. I think it would be best if you use that time to rest..." He told her as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She sighed.

"Very well. I suppose I can listen to you this one time... But, can you please find Legolas and tell him that I request his audience. Oh, yes. It would also make my day if he brought a brush with him..." She told the dark haired man who raised an eyebrow at her words. Helping her to walk over to a chair around the fire, she dropped heavily onto the cushion.

Being very sarcastic, he bowed deeply to her and he had to step out of reach when she swatted at him. Striding off to find his elf friend, Aragorn only glanced back at her with an amused smile on his perfect lips.

She was unwrapping the bandages from around her leg to look at it before she scrunched up her nose as she pulled the Athelas from the wound. She tossed it into the fire, watching the smoke boil up into the sky.

Only a few more minutes passed before the elf snuck up on her, causing the woman's heart to almost cease beating. After giving a few words of warning to the tall warrior, he only chuckled before pulling a brush from behind his back.

Quwen's face lit up at the sight of the brush, knowing that her hair might not be a lost cause after all.

"Would you like me to help you?"

"Oh, yes! Legolas, that would be wonderful..." She beamed up at him. The elf merely chuckled at her before moving to stand behind her. His long fingers gently began to work the knots from the golden waves that were supposed to be cascading down her back.

They were both silent for a moment before Legolas decided to comment on her odd personality change.

"Quwen... You've never been one to particularly mind about your hair..." He watched as her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her tunic. Her ears also turned a soft shade of pink and the prince knew that he had her in his clutches. "Is there any particular reason why, after eighty five years, that you've decided to start now?"

"No... I just think that before we reach civilization I should look presentable as a friend of the King..." She tried to reason and the elf nodded his head in agreement. That wasn't the exact reason he had been hoping for but it was a plausible answer.

"Indeed. We can't have you looking like a Ranger now, can we? They're awfully shady folk..." He teased, earning a pointed look from the woman whose hair he was currently trying to untangle. He ran the brush through her hair and she thought it felt wonderful. It felt like it had been forever since she had brushed her hair.

"I hear the elves are the shadiest of them all..." She retorted and the elf snorted, a sound he did not normally use. It was very un-elf like of him.

Their conversation dropped so suddenly but it was comfortable, the elf not needing words to fill the space between the two of them. That was how it was between the Lady and elf, they were always content to sit quietly with one another. However, it did not take longer for the warrior to finish with his work before he finally let the golden strands lay in gentle waves across her back.

It had grown so long over the past few months, the ends becoming uneven in certain places where a blade or two had slipped and taken a few of the golden tresses with it.

"Your hair needs trimmed..." He commented calmly before walking away in search of a pair of scissors. Running her hands through her now detangled hair, she sighed before leaning back in her chair.

Seeing Toran walking through the camp, she smiled at him before she called his name. Successfully capturing his attention, the brown dragon made his way towards her. He settled down before her, folding his clawed paws before him.

"Good morning..." She told him as his warm breath drifted over her, warming her even more than the sun had been.

"Indeed. It is a good morning..." He lowered his large head onto his paws, his green eyes still trained on her. For a short while, the two simply talked as they sun bathed. Toran asked her if she had any dreams last night, which she answered with a stern no.

Upon changing the subject, hey mused about where his family went. Quwen believed that they probably had traveled north once more but not so far North that the land was always covered in snow.

Toran thought differently however. He claimed that his father had once mentioned going more Southwestern to the the peninsula of Andrast where the mountain peaks where plenty, as were the wild animals.

The people were few however, leaving more room for the untamable beasts. Quwen was suprised and had to admit that she lost to Toran on that point.

It wasn't until a short time later when Legolas returned with a pair of scissors in his hands. Seeing how choppy the ends of her hair were, she was fine with him adjusting the length.

Using the brush, the elf began his work, hoping that she would appreciate all his hard work. All three of them enjoyed each others' company, Legolas even going as far as to converse with the large beast.

However, Toran was a bit unnerved when it came to the elves. They had also killed some dragons in their time.

Legolas finished with her hair and stood back to admire his work. Everything was evenly trimmed and he knew that both Quwen and Aragorn would appreciate the soft waves in which her hair fell.

By this time, the sun was reaching its highest peak of the day. Toran and Legolas continued to converse with her, keeping her busy and keeping her mind off of other things. The Hobbits also arrived with Gimli behind them and they talked with their companions however, the hobbits remained closer to Quwen than the dragon Prince.

Gimli only growled before moving to stand beside Legolas, a deep frown set upon his face. No matter how many years had passed, he could never trust a dragon after what Smaug had did to his people.

She was not the least bit surprised when Aragorn came over to her with two bowls of stew in his hands. He handed one to her with a smile as he forced the hobbits to make room for him beside her.

Boromir also came along to watch the group converse. The large dragon rose his head from his relaxed state as the Steward arrived. There was an unpleasant glint in his green eyes as he looked down on the auburn haired man.

"Boromir..." The dragon Prince greeted, a certain iciness to his tone.

"Toran..." Replied the Steward in the same tone. For some odd reason, it appeared to Quwen that they did not like one another. Spooning another bit of stew into her mouth, Quwen watched as the two openly glared at each other.

Putting the spoon back down into the empty bowl, she stretched her arms above her head. Her back cracked a few times as she stretched before she settled back into her chair.

Looking to Aragorn, he sent her a soft smile, his hand taking her own before squeezing it. She sent him a smile back and he stood, helping her to do so as well.

"It would we best if we began riding for Minas Tirith. We're two days away at a gallop but since we are in no hurry, we will be there in three days..." He told her and she nodded. They began to make their way to the paddock where the horses were being kept.

Leaning on the makeshift fence, they watched as their two horses nibbled on the grass beside one another.

Pursing her lips, she folded her tongue in her mouth and let out a low whistle. Del's ears perked at the sound of his rider. He nicereked loudly and Brego also raised his chocolate colored head.

The two horses trotted over to them, Quwen smiling at the happiness that seemed to radiate from the speckled stallion. Reaching his head over the fence, his soft nose rubbed itself on her face as he greeted his friend.

She laughed quietly as she stroked his long neck. Speaking a few soft words in elvish, his hooves pranced in place as he was anxious to go out and stretch his legs. Aragorn walked to a tent a short distance away, the woman staying to keep the horses occupied.

Bringing a saddle back with him, he stopped for a moment just to stand and watch her. More horses had gathered around her as she gave them all her love and attention. She continued to speak to them and they searched her hands for treats.

It was beautiful how much they loved her. However, he was a bit jealous. He should be the only one to love her that much.

Seeing her smiling and happy, it warmed Aragorn's heart to see her like that and it ate away at the jealousy. He slowly made his way over to her and she turned to look at him with the same smile that she had shown the horses.

As he approached, she looked down at the saddle in his hands, unsure as to whose it was.

"When you arrived at the camp, Del was not saddled..." He began to explain as her watched her eyes trace over the fine saddle.

"During the battle, he had been covered in armor and he had all his tack on but when he found me, it seemed to have disappeared..." She explained as her fingers absently ran over the smooth leather.

It was a traditional saddle with a high front and back. The leather was stained completely black with silver edging, the traditional colors of the White City. A black blanket also accompanied saddle, trimmed once again with elegant silver markings. Aragorn also had a matching bridle slung over his shoulder.

"Whose saddle is this then?" She asked quietly, admiring the craftmanship put into the tack. Her fingers traced over the silver lining, Aragorn watching her the entire time.

"Its yours now..." She told her. She lifted her head and looked into his eyes, a certain warmth filled them. At that moment, he didn't look like that same Aragorn she had always known. This looked like a man in love.

He could only smile and nod to answer her. He watched as her face lit up at his answer. Taking the saddle into her hands, she tried to pry it from his grip only for him to lean across the space between them and take her off guard with a soft kiss. She did not move away when his lips carefully moved against her own and she smiled.

"This is the greatest gift that anyone has ever given me..." She whispered against his lips, her breath fanning across them, making him want to kiss her more. Showing her thanks, she moved her lips against his again before they both pulled apart. He rested his forehead against her own before smiling.

"_I love you_..." He breathed.

"_I love you more_..." She murmured back before smiling and pulling away. Pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, he released the grip that he had on the saddle. Taking it into her arms, she placed it on the top wrung of the fence. Aragorn also drapped the bridle across one of the posts.

Limping over to her horse, she carefully ran her hands over his coat. Withdrawing a horse brush from his pocket, Aragorn tossed it to Quwen who caught it easily and began to make long and even strokes across the steed's back.

The man left to retrieve his own tack. As he begins to gather up the blanket and saddle, he stops when he hears the soft voice of the woman outside.

"_Oh! Wanderers in the shadowed land despair not! For, though dark they stand, all woods there be must end at last, and see the open sun go past: the setting sun, the rising sun, the day's end, or the day begun. For east or west all woods must fail_..." He had listened to her singing as he emerged from the tent, a content smile on his face.

She was running the brush along Del's soft coat while singing the words softly to him. Feeling Aragorn come up behind her, she had stopped and turned her head to look at him, her cheeks flushing a bright red.

"You don't have to stop. I love it when you sing..." He explained quietly as he hoisted his saddle up onto Brego's back. The horse didn't even raise his head from where he had been nibling on the grass.

Quwen was silent for another moment before she opened her mouth to begin singing quietly once more. Aragorn only stood and listened as she sang the words that seemed to flow so easily from her mouth.

He tightened the cinch on the saddle, his ears basking in the sound that filled them.

She had moved back to the side of the fence to retrieve the blanket and saddle. Approaching her horse once more, Quwen held the saddle against her hip as she adjusted the soft blanket.

She tried to throw the saddle upon her horse's back, her chest ached slightly from the stretching of the healing wound. She couldn't help the small amount of pain that came from her wound.

In a moment, Aragorn was behind her and helped her place the saddle on his back. His warm arms uncericled her. Her cheeks flushed slightly when she felt his strong chest against her back. Slowly turning around in his grasp, Aragorn glanced around before he felt the wanting grow stronger in his stomach. Claiming her lips with his own, Aragorn tried to explain to her how much he cared about her with that one, passionate kiss.

"I couldn't lift it..." She whispered in disappointment, her hands playing with the edge of his tunic.

"With time, your strength will return..." He reassured her, his thumb trailing along the pink skin of her cheek. The reason she had not been able to lift it was because she was used to the weight of her old saddle. In honesty, Quwen actually missed the old worn leather. It had been her mother's.

Quwen released the King before turning back with a sigh. Slapping Del's stomach, she tightened the cinch before adjusting the length of the stirrups. Del seemed to fidget slightly at the feel of a different saddle on his back. She cooed to the stallion, reassuring him that he would be alright. Taking the bridle from the fence, she slipped the bit into his mouth.

More men had entered the paddock to prepare for the journey back to Minas Tirith. It was good that their romantic moment had ended. That would have been difficult to explain.

The party would travel ahead while some of the soldiers would remain behind to clean up the tents.

Aragorn had finished with Brego and had moved on to help the hobbits with the ponies that had been provided for them. The little things pranced about as the hobbits and King chased them about. The small horses were very fast when it came to outrunning the halflings.

Quwen only leaned against Del as she watched the scene unfold before them.

The hobbits yelled and laughed merrily as they chased after their loyal steeds. Aragorn also was laughing loudly as he chased after the horses, his lips drawn back in a large grin.

It also didn't help when the man was accidentally tackled by the smaller mortals and they all collapsed into the grass, completely breathless. She continued to listen to their sweet laughter and when the dark haired man helped them from the ground, she felt the warmth return to her stomach.

He would one day be a great father to his children. In so many ways, his loving nature reminded her of her father and how much he had loved his children.

Aragorn sensed her eyes on him and he looked up at her as his hands dusted off the hobbits clothing and pulled the grass from their hair. She sent him an amused smile, one that he returned as she shook her head and began to lead Del away.

One of the Rohirric soldiers lowered the rungs on the fence and let her and Del through. Finding a bag of oats nearby, she picked it up and held it open as Del stuck his head inside the bag.

"I will never get over the fact that of how large he is compared to you..." She turned her head as Boromir approached, his face pulled back in his normal cheery smile.

"I haven't seen you for a long time, my friend..." She smiled as the auburn haired man approached. Letting the bag fall to the ground, Del only continued to eat as she walked towards the man.

Both of them opened their arms to one another and he embraced her tightly as she returned the favor. She smiled widely at the warmth he showed her. Even after spending so much time together in the cave, he still had no ill feelings towards her.

Pulling back, she lightly tugged on a strand of his longer hair.

"Your hair is getting quite long. I don't believe that the Steward should ever have such shaggy hair..." She teased him and he only smiled more widely at her. Reaching down, she picked up the bag again and held it open for her horse who had seemed to be struggling with his meal. "I believe Legolas has a pair of scissors handy..." She winked at him.

"Now that Aragorn is King, everything is going to change and my hair can be as long as I want it!" He said as he ran his finger through his own long hair.

"A new era of peace will be ushered in. Men won't be judged on the lenght of their hair. The lands will heal and the people will find hope once more..." She said as she glanced over at the dark haired man. He was still helping to tack the ponies, seeing how they had finally caught the small horses and began to saddle them.

"We can only hope..."

"He will make a good King. He may just need some help..." She told him as Del finally emptied the bag. A soldier approached Boromir with his own saddled horse and handed the reigns to the Steward.

"He loves you..." Boromir decided to tell her. He watched as she was not even fazed by his words as she normally been. Not even a blush dusted her cheeks as she watched the man that she loved back.

"I know. He told me so..." She replied back and Boromir blinked a few times in confusion. He had already told her about his feelings?

She walked away from him to retrieve Brego who had wandered over to the side of the fence. She stuck her hand through the rungs and picked up the reigns off of his neck.

Speaking a few soft elvish words, the horse complied and followed along behind her. The men let her pull the horse away and Boromir left her to her thoughts. Moving back to her tent, she arrived to find her clothes cleaned and repaired.

Slipping on her boots, she also drapped a warm cloak around her shoulders before heading back outside the tent. She took the reigns of the two horses from a soldier who had been standing nearby.

It wasn't long before Aragorn soon joined her. Like a gentleman, he helped her up into the stirrup. Settling into the soft leather, she adjusted the cloak about her shoulders before sitting tall upon her steed.

Aragorn soon joined her upon Brego's back and the brown horse decided to lead them out of the camp. Del was content to follow only a short distance behind him. Their companions soon joined them and followed behind the two Rangers.

Aragorn told her that Gandalf had left to return to Minas Tirith the night before. He apparently had more urgent matters to attend to.

On their way out of camp, Éomer trotted up on her open side and Firefoot fell into step beside Del as well. The three were soon conversing, subconsciously keeping their horses on the path to the White City.

A large shadow suddenly passed overhead and some of the soldiers behind them flinched, the thought of the Fell beasts fresh in their mind. However, Toran blew out a ball of fire as he showed his excitement. Twirling through the flames, the dragon's scales glowed for a moment before turning to the soft brown that they normally were.

Winking down at his charge, he flew up higher in the sky until his form disappeared into the blazing sun.

* * *

"I'm sore..." Quwen complained as she stood up from the fire on the third day. It was just midday now and the company had traveled further than expected and wished to rest longer in the day.

"Oh, you think you're sore! Try being a man!" Pippin exclaimed as he rubbed his sore rear seeing as how they had been seated for most of their journey the last couple of days. Quwen shot him a questioning look.

"And why does it matter if I am a man or not?"

"Well... You know. We have... stuff... down there..." He grumbled out, earning yet another slap to the arm from Merry. The hobbits jumped and grabbed his arm with confusion on his face, wondering what he had done wrong.

"You don't talk about stuff like_ that_ with a Lady..." Merry whispered harshly to his friend. The younger hobbit still looked confused for a moment before finding an answer.

"But it's only _Quwen_!" Another pointed look from Merry.

"And _she's_ a _Lady_!" Merry smacked him upside the head, earning a groan of pain from the younger hobbit. The men and woman around them could only laugh at their angst, the Lady's cheeks only turning a faint red from their previous statements.

"Then you should treat her as such!" Boromir told the curly haired beings as he lovingly scratched the mop of curls atop their heads. Quwen looked up at him when he said those words. The Steward held her gaze for a moment, a faint quirk to his lips, before he looked away.

Quwen had indeed been sore. Her soft rear needed time to adjust to the new leather of her saddle. She had learned long ago that the saddle was to conform to the rider, not the other way around.

"It won't be long before we're off again..." Aragorn told the group and his eyes watched as Quwen made her way across camp to the dragon who was lounging on the outskirts of the small ring of soldiers.

He had snagged a large deer as he had flown ahead of them and he was only now just finishing it. He had explained that he didn't like to eat his meals whole, like his brothers and sisters. He more enjoyed eating and savoring the food, as his parents did.

Licking the blood from his lips, his green eyes easily found the woman in the mix of men. She came walking towards him, her limp easily noticable yet she could walk on her own now.

"Don't you look lovely today!" He teased when he saw her yawn widely, having been one of the last members of their group to have awoken.

"I always look lovely, Toran..." She scolded as she approached him, casually walking up to his side and using his scales to climb upon his back. Settling herself between his shoulder blades, the dragon just looked back at her. "You should know this by now..."

"Of course I should because I always make it a point to know everything about you..." He grumbled and she only snickered at how sarcastic his words were. In all the dragons she had ever met, which were a very limited number, he was the most sarcastic.

However, she loved it about him. It was what made her love him.

"Éomer said something about a funeral in Rohan once we return to Minas Tirith..." He suddenly changed the subject, catching her off guard. "What is a funeral?" His voice lowered as if he felt ashamed that he did not know the meaning of the word.

"Well... A funeral is when a community gathers together to mourn the loss of a loved soul..." He bobbed his head in understanding and he glanced back at her, seeing how solemn her face was.

"He said that it was for someone named Théoden..." He mused.

"He was the King of Rohan and Éomer's uncle..." She explained and the dragon looked back at her again. "A very loved man in his city and one of the wisest Kings I've had the pleasure of meeting..."

"You knew him..." Toran said and watched as she nodded her head once more. Sensing the sudden drop of her mood, Toran knew that it was his job to make things better.

He rolled over onto his back, the woman screaming as she was about to fall back down to the ground. However, the dragon was able to catch her clothing in his teeth and set her back on his chest.

She sent him an irritated look as he only chuckled, causing his chest to vibrate underneath her. She bounced around for a bit before he finally stopped. Looking down at the woman, he saw her glaring back at him.

Sighing at his antics, she slowly changed position so her warm stomach was pressed against his own. She basked in the warmth that he radiated, feeling the sleepiness beginning to return to her mind.

"So, Toran..." She yawned. "When everything is settled again, where will you go?" Shutting her eyes, she listened to his strong heart beating beneath the scales, knowing that a terrible creature such as him had once robbed the dwarves of their home under the mountain, Erebor.

Watching the ever tiring form of the woman on his chest, he smiled as much as a dragon could.

"I'll stay with you... Just as I promised before..." He breathed, his warm breath fanning over her. She shut her eyes once more with a slight smile on her face at his answer. Toran was as happy as he had ever been, probably the happiest.

"We'll have to make accommodations for you in the city..." She yawned before he shifted once more. She continued to lay back on his warm stomach, letting the sun soak into her skin. Since she had been hidden away in the tower, one of the things she had missed the most was the sun and its rays.

They stayed like that for a short time until the soldiers began to shift and move back to their horses who had been grazing a short distance away. Quwen cracked one hazel eye open but she did not sit up.

"You better get moving... They'll leave without you..." The dragon warned as his eyes darted back and forth between the soldiers and the woman. She simply took a deep breath as she finally sat up, unease building in her stomach.

"Fine. But if I get blisters, I'm going to blame you!" She slid off his chest and landed in the golden grass. She stumbled a bit, laughing as she leaned against his side once more. She pushed off from his side, waving goodbye to him before approaching Aragorn. He beamed down at the woman before him before handing her the reigns to her horse.

Swinging up into the saddle, she found the task to be easier now that her leg had had so much time to rest.

"You seem to be rather cheery this morning..." He greeted, a smile tugging at his lips. It was Aragorn's signature smile, the one that filled the empty place in her chest and completely filled her with warmth when Toran was absent.

"Toran has that effect on me..." She smiled at him before spurring Del forward and leaving him in her horse's wake. Laughing over her shoulder, Aragorn soon spurred Brego forward to catch up with the speckled stallion.

* * *

"The White City is just over the hill..." Boromir looked over to her and watched the stunned expression appear on her face. Leaning forward in her saddle, Quwen helped her horse up the hill. Boromir and Aragorn both rode on either side of her, making her feel so much more secure.

"It looks as though we will actually be seeing the city together as you had promised!" She told the Steward who smiled widely at the blonde woman.

As the group came over the crest of the hill, Quwen felt her breath fall away from her. A small gasp escaped her lips which she covered with her hand as the other pulled back on Del's reigns.

"Is it not as beautiful as I said it would be?" He leaned over and whispered to her. She couldn't help but nod her head as her eyes continued to take in the sight before her. The sun reflected off the white marble that made up the city walls, living up to the name, the White City.

Minas Tirith stood in all its glory, save for a few missing chunks from the most recent battle.

"Boromir, it truly is one of the grandest sites I've ever laid my eyes on..." She continued to gaze at the city and noticed that teams of men were still trying to clean up the field surrounding the city walls.

"It is even more magnificent inside... Come, let me show you my home!" He called as he urged his horse forward and down the hill.

However, no matter how much she wished to see the insides of the city, she could not bring herself to follow behind the Steward. Del nickered quietly at her reluctance to move and the horses began to file into the city behind the auburn haired man.

She only sat in the saddle, staring at the city and feeling the reluctance enter her gut.

As if sensing her sudden absence, Aragorn turned back around from where he had headed down the hill. The men continued to file past her, sending the woman all confused looks as to why she was not moving like the rest of them.

Turning Brego around, he rejoined her up on the hill. His blue eyes carefully looked over her form, his own mind wondering why she had not yet began to move towards the city.

"Breeze?" He drew her eyes away from the white walls of the city and back to him. He could only send a warm smile her way before it fell away as she sighed. "Is there something wrong?"

"What if they don't accept me?" She asked suddenly, her eyes trained back on Minas Tirith. "The people, what if they don't accept me?" She asked, clarifying what she had reallly meant. Bringing Brego closer to Del, he reached out and took her hand. Once more, her gaze was drawn back to his handsome face.

"They will, Quwen..." He tried to reassure her but she shook her head vigorously, causing her long hair to toss about. "Breeze..." He stopped her head shaking by cupping her face with his worn hand. Their eyes locked for a moment before the dark haired man's eyes scanned the area.

Bending downward, he placed a brief yet strong kiss on her lips. However, he had retreated just as quickly as he had leaned in. Her lips ached to be against his once more and for a longer period of time but the men were still around and were curious as to what the King was doing with the Lady of the North.

"They will love you just as I do..." He reassured her as he gave her hand a final squeeze. Toran soon passed by overhead, already heading towards the upper level of the city.

"You won't leave my side will you?" He was surprised at how small and weak her voice had sounded to him just then. She had always sounded so strong and confident. Now, she just seemed so small. Realizing just how scared she was, he sighed as he looked back to Minas Tirith.

"Never..." His lips curled up in a smile as he watched her own pair mimic his.

"I'll race you..." She urged her speckled horse forward without warning, catching the Ranger off guard. As he recovered, Brego pranced about in wanting and he threw his head back in excitement.

Looking back to the woman, Del was kicking up dust as his long legs ate up the ground to catch up with the group of soldiers ahead of him. The chocolate colored horse continued to pull on his reigns before Aragorn finally chuckled and he smirked slightly.

"Let's go get them!" He whispered to his horse before he released the tight hold on the reigns and the horse leapt forward, his blood pumping rapidly through his chest as he worked his body.

The competitive side of the stallion burned in his chest and he sped up even further to catch up with his long legged friend.

As Del's feet thundered across the ground, Quwen felt the familiar feeling of home in her chest as she stood up in the saddle. Quwen would soon arrive at Minas Tirith and she would just have to adjust to the life of the city.

Her home was now with her friends. Her home was now with Aragorn and where ever he would go, she would follow.

* * *

**I don't own the words to the song that Tolkien wrote. **

**To be honesty, I didn't like this chapter. It makes me just feel like a bad person. Honestly, I did not know what to do but hey, the next chapter we get to see the city and meet some very special people! ;)**

**Some Toran/Quwen fluff.**

**I'm really not looking forward to writing Théoden's funeral. Should I or should I skip over it but say that they attended?**

**It would give you guys more chapters to read but I would have to write another chapter which consists of 5000 words. But, since I love you guys, I won't really complain.**

**Also, I kind of like writing a jealous Boromir. I have great plans for him in the next couple of chapters. Also, don't worry. He will find someone. And I have a feeling some of you might be very happy about who it is and who else will be in the chapter.**

**Also, I'm still wondering who I want to pair off with in my Hobbit story.**

**The score is Thorin: 8 Fili: 5.**

**If it's going to be a Thorin/OC, things will be very messy and there will be a lot of hate. Just you wait.**

**Review please! Love you all!**

**Love, **

**Blue**

**P.S. I'm suddenly addicted to Being Human (U.K.) and I can't over the fact that Aidan Turner is a vampire and a hot one at that! Mitchell is my new crush...**


	15. Chapter 15

**Third Person's POV**

As they passed through the large front gates into Minas Tirith, Quwen felt the uneasiness roll out in fresh waves. Hundreds of people had lined up along the street to welcome back their Steward and new King.

However, as Quwen rode on Aragorn's left, she felt people beginning to whisper about the strange woman beside their King. For you see, Boromir had halted the line of soldiers so that his friends could rejoin them in the lead.

She now regretted it.

Del's hooves clomped on the stone roadways and people threw flowers down upon the returning company. Boromir simply smiled and waved to his people, while Aragorn only softly smiled and nodded his head towards random citizens.

Quwen sat stiff as a board in her new saddle, her eyes only locked on the path before her, never looking at the people who were welcoming them home.

"It does not hurt to smile..." Her eyes immediately shifted to Aragorn at her side who had graced her with his words. Sensing her distress, he reach out and squeezed her hand to reassure her that she was alright and that he would never leave her.

Turning back to the civilians, she forced the corners of her mouth to turn upward in a slight smile so she did not seem so cold hearted as she appeared before.

"If it helps you any, I don't think Gimli would mind you picturing him falling off a horse..." He whispered to her again, causing her smile to widen at the very thought of the dwarf. Glancing back over her shoulder, said dwarf was sitting on Arod behind Legolas who simply appeared relaxed like he had a welcome home like this many a time.

Their long procession continued until they reached the upper levels of the city. Upon reaching the grand palace of the King, the people soon thinned out as the guards pushed them away.

Finally feeling as though she could breathe once more, Quwen dismounted right into Aragorn's arms. She bumped into him and the both of them chuckled quietly, her cheeks burning red at their contact.

A few men came to take away the horses and Quwen internally winced. Things would not go well with Del. The first time she had ever seen him behave around a stranger was Éomer and he was also behind them.

"_Del! Please do try to behave_!" She called after the horse as he was being led away. His ears only flickered back towards her momentarily before returning to their normal position.

Beginning their walk up the grand staircase, an unknown man and a very familiar woman stood waiting for them. Gandalf also stood by their side, his white staff clutched in his hands.

"Welcome home, my lord!" The auburn haired man greeted and Quwen had the sneaking suspicion that she had seen this man before. She couldn't quite place her finger on it but he definitely seemed familiar.

All three of them bowed to the King and his approaching company.

"I see you are feeling much better, little brother!" Boromir stepped forward to embrace the man. Both of them laughed merrily, glad to see one another in better health as well as alive. As if seeming to remember something, Boromir looked back into the crowd to find the person he was looking for.

The rest of the Fellowship had already met with the youngest Steward heir and she was the only remaining one to meet him.

"Quwen!" He called her name once he found her behind Aragorn's form. She had been looking upward at the looming forms of the towers before her eyes were directed towards him. Motioning for her to come forward, he held out his hand to her. She carefully took his hand, a friendly warmth passing between them. "I want you to meet my brother, Faramir..."

Quwen could have slapped herself. The resemblance between the two of them was uncanny. The same auburn hair, the same gray eyes, the same wide smile. However, Faramir looked slighter in muscle than his brother. His smile was kinder than his brother's as well, softer maybe.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, my lord..." She smiled softly as well, allowing him to carefully kiss the back of her hand.

"No! The pleasure is all mine, my lady! I have heard all about you from your friends!" She knew that friends meant the King and Steward. She could only smile in response before she felt her mood turn foul upon seeing the woman beside him.

"Lady Éowyn..." Quwen gave her an honest smile, one that the White Lady returned. "I hope you are feeling better. Éomer said that you had come down with Black Breath..."

"Indeed! But thanks to our King, I am once again in the realm of the living and it has left me..." A spark of jealously flickered in Quwen's eyes as she heard of how Aragorn had taken care of her. But of course, Quwen knew that Aragorn loved her.

It wasn't long before her brother soon stepped up beside them and began conversing with the greeting party.

Stepping back, Quwen stood beside Aragorn once more. Feeling eyes on her, she looked up at met his blue irises easily. The King simply offered her a prideful smile of how she had handled the situation with Éowyn.

"Now, I'm sure that you are all very hungry! A feast will be held tonight in honor of all our Kings, living and dead..." Faramir announced and added the last part a bit more quietly. But he had the right to be, Théoden's death was still near and still hung over all their hearts.

They would rest for another day in the city before beginning the mournful journey back to Rohan to bury the great King. Leading them inside, Faramir offered the White Lady his arm, which she gladly accepted.

Boromir and Éomer only exchanged an interested look with one another, knowing that their siblings were not ones to show affection so easily. Doing the same, Aragorn offered Quwen his arm, a slight smile on his face.

Without thinking, she linked her arm through his and let him lead her inside. It just felt right for her to be standing next to him and she wouldn't have traded it for anything in the world. It was like they fit together. Gandalf soon fell into stop beside the two Rangers, offering them smiles of approval.

Looking up and around her, she gazed up at the high ceilings of the throne room. Her worn boots pounded softly on the marble flooring and as they walked down the long hall, she gazed upon the carved statues of the great Kings that had come before. Their sightless eyes gazed down upon them, almost welcoming the new arrivals into their beautiful dwelling.

"The feast will commence in a few hours so that should give you plenty of time to rest after your long travels..." But Quwen heard none of those words. For the party had stopped at the very end of the throne room.

Raised up on a set of stairs sat the throne for the King of Gondor. It was a beautifully carved piece made from white granite rock and it shone in the natural light that streamed in through the high windows. On the floor level sat the Steward's smaller throne, one that had been occupied for many years by Boromir's father. However, the great kingly throne looked untouched and pristine.

Before she knew what was happening, she was being led down a hallway off to the left side of the grand room. Boromir and Éomer had remained to speak with their siblings and the other members of the Fellowship had ventured in the opposite direction.

"Where are we going?" She whispered to the dark haired man who still had her arm secured in his.

"I'm taking you to your private quarters..." He explained as his hand slipped over the one on his arm. Quwen looked up at him with incredulous eyes.

"Then should we not be going in the other direction?"

"No..."

"But this is the way to the royal chambers...?"

"Yes..."

"But I am not royalty!"

"No, but you are a queen to me..." His words caught her off guard and completely stole the remaining words from her mouth. She could only open her mouth in protest but whatever witty remark she had in mind completely faded out of existence upon looking into his eyes.

He only smiled in amusement at her lack of words and proceeded down the hallway. She had sworn that she had seen these halls before when she suddenly remembered her startling dream in which she awoke in Boromir's bed.

"I don't need private quarters..." Quwen grumbled finally as they came to a halt in front of a set of doors. "I would have happily shared with someone!"

"Would you have liked to have shared with the Lady Éowyn again?" She sent a small warning glare his way which caused him to chuckle.

"No... Most definitely not..."

"And that is why you are having your own quarters!" He teased lightly as he carefully pushed her body back against the door with his. Brining her face into his hands, he dipped his face downward until he careful lips pressed against her own.

Aragorn felt her smile against his lips and her fingers carefully ran along his stubbled jawline. Her other had grabbed a fistful of his tunic before releasing it to travel up into his soft and waving locks.

Pulling him more towards her, Quwen was unaware that the door came unlatched and with a scream, she fell back into her room. Aragorn was going to fall on top of her but he was fast enough to brace his hands on either side of her head to save her from being crushed.

Her hair was a tangled mess around her and her heart was still beating rapidly from the terror of falling through the air. She laughed breathlessly at their situation, mopping a hand over her face in embarrassment. He loved the sound of her soft laughter and he blinked slowly as it graced his ears.

Aragorn could only smile down at her before easing their lips together once more. Pulling apart, the man only ran his thumb over her the soft skin of her cheek. Shifting so that his legs were of to the side of her, he found her hands without breaking eye contact and took them into his own. Pulling her from the ground, the two were once again standing, both a little flushed.

"I never knew you to be so uncoordinated..." He teased her and she sent another mock glare.

"I did not know that the door would be unhinged!" She admitted, her eyes now beginning to drift around the room. It was one of the largest rooms she had ever stayed in. Even compared to the grand rooms in Rivendell, this one was so much greater The floor was once again smooth gray marble. A warm breeze blew in from the balcony across the room, causing the thin curtains to flutter towards them.

A canopy bed sat off to the side of the room, a soft royal blue blanket covering the sheets. Across the way from the bed lay a blazing fireplace, along with a settee with multiple cushions placed upon it. A large desk sat off in the corner with candles on the top, ready for someone to begin reading at it or going over maps. A large wooden wardrobe lay in the opposing corner. A few bookshelves lined the walls, filled with books in both Common Tongue and Elvish.

Making her way over to the canopy, Quwen ran her fingers over the soft fabric of the blankets. Walking on to the balcony, she looked down into the lush gardens below them, filled with various colors of flowers and trees. She smiled at the sight as a butterfly floated up towards her and landed in her exposed palm. Quickly being carried away upon the gentle wind, Quwen smiled as she watched the small creature float away.

"It is wonderful, Aragorn..." She told him as she felt him approach from behind. She could feel the warmth from his body behind her and soon she felt arms wrapped around her waist and pull her back towards him. Laying her head back against his strong shoulder, she shut her eyes for a moment and let herself just bask in the moment. "It is too perfect for me..."

"Nothing will ever be too perfect for you..." He whispered into her hair, his nose lightly trailing over the skin just below her ear.

"I never want anything to change..." She admitted to him, to which he carefully kissed her temple.

"Things can only change for the better..." He reminded her, his breath then tickling her skin. Relishing in the warmth of him behind her, she continued just to doze against him as his nose buried itself deeper into her soft hair.

"The feast will be in a couple of hours..." He warned her as he tried to pull away but her hand stopped him. Turning in his arms to face him, she smiled softly before carefully taking one of his dark locks and brushing it from his face.

"Then I will see you then!" She kissed his cheek before stepping from his arms and bounding back into the room. He watched her leap onto the settee before the warm fireplace, readying herself to take a short nap.

He could only smile and shake his head. Yes, this was why he loved her. She always kept him on his toes. Never a boring day with Quwen.

* * *

Carefully peeking out from her door, the woman glanced down the hallway. It was luckily empty and she hiked up her dress before stepping out and shutting the door behind her.

Taking off down the hall, her limp was prominent as she bobbed up and down as she hurried to find another hiding place.

Her hair was braided back and off to the side in a painful way. Well, it was only painful for her because she did not like feeling so proper. However the careful weave was otherwise beautiful.

The color of dress she choose reflected the soft color of the purple that followed a sunset.

Legolas had been the one to prepare her hair. He had also stuck a few small lilac flowers into the golden strands, adding a wonderful smell about her person. She of course had told the elf that he was ridiculous but he had insisted that she wear her hair like that. Aragorn would be very pleased.

Now, she had no choice to but to run about the castle until she found the dinning hall. She had to admit that she was a bit lost at one point and she sighed. She knew that she should have waited for Aragorn but no, she had to go and get herself lost in the various hallways that were a never ending maze in the palace.

Normally, she would have used her Ranger senses to find her way but this was not a forest. This was a labyrinth of stone that she found impossible to navigate.

Turning down a corner, Quwen stopped short when she spotted two familiar forms talking quietly in the hallway. "Pippin! Merry!" She cried as she rushed towards them. They both turned their head to look at her as she approached. Large smiles immediately lit their faces as she came to a slow stop before them.

"How can we help you, my lady?" Merry asked and Quwen frowned in response.

"How many times must I remind you that I am not a lady!" She growled quietly, her eyes casting a quick glance down the hallway. Both hobbits exchanged a glance as well.

"I beg to differ, Quwen! You look beautiful tonight!" Merry spoke up, causing the woman's cheeks to flush.

"I seem to be a bit lost..." She changed the subject immediately. Quwen had never been one to really worry about her looks but now that important people always seemed to surround her, she actually minded.

"We'll help you get to dinner!" Pippin promised as they took her hands in their own. They began to lead the blonde woman down the hall with cheerful smiles plastered upon their faces. "You really _do_ look pretty tonight!" He added and the woman only shook her head.

"I'm sure I look ridiculous..." She muttered under her breath as they turned a corner.

"No! No! You look wonderful! Even more wonderful than when we were at Rohan!" Merry promised and she rolled her eyes at his words. Eventually they reached the grand dinning hall and Quwen looked around at this room as well. It was warmly lit by a few fireplaces and in the center of the room lay a long table that stretched from one end of the huge room to the other. Chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, slowly swinging back and forth.

However, her eyes immediately found Aragorn at the head of the table. She was surprised to find he was dressed in a white long sleeved shirt with a fine black leather jerkin over the top. His hair appeared to be combed and his beard trimmed.

She had to admit, Aragorn was even more handsome when cleaned up and proper. However, she would have never found love had it not been the Ranger part of him. She had loved the fact that he cared more about the people around him than about how he appeared to others. There was always something about the rugged Ranger that excited foreign feelings in her stomach.

Upon her entrance into her room, Aragorn stood up, as did the other men in the room.

Aragorn gracefully moved around the table towards the woman. As he walked towards her, his eyes looked over her slim form. Her hair was done up in a lovely braid with flowers woven into the fine golden strands. Her dress was a wonderful deep purple color, a fitting shade that really complimented the soft tones of her flawless skin.

A smile pulled at his lips and he stopped before her. He bowed his head slightly as he crossed his arm over his stomach. Once he returned back to an upright position, she curtsied which was a foreign gesture to her. The King offered her his arm without another second of hesitation. She gratefully accepted and he led her over to the table.

Éomer smiled at the sight of them together, deciding that the pair indeed looked royal, even if half of the couple was not of noble birth. Yes, the looked very wonderful together and he could see the warmth they shared with the other.

Aragorn stopped at the chair next to Gandalf. The wizard sent her a warm and kind look as the Ranger pulled her seat back. Sweeping her dress under her rear, she carefully sat down and Aragorn helped her to scoot in closer to the table.

Once the King returned to his seat, the other men sat down and the feast began.

Across from her sat Éomer, who sat beside Boromir, who sat beside Aragorn. Faramir was on the Horse Lord's other side whose sister was seated beside the Steward's brother.

The rest of the Fellowship was scattered down the line. Gimli sat on the other side of the elf who sat beside the Lady of the North. Much laughing occurred that night. Ale and mead were drank in great quantity.

Aragorn continued to steal glances at the beautiful woman in his presence. He often found her conversing deeply with Boromir's brother and he also noticed that the Steward's eyes were on her as well. It made the King a bit uneasy as he watched Boromir simply stare at her for minutes on end.

Quwen couldn't deny the fact that Faramir was a lovely man. Deciding that if she had not fallen in love with Aragorn and if she had never met the Ranger, she would have undoubtedly fallen for the former Steward's youngest son.

He was similar to Boromir in a few ways but was different in a greater quantity. That was why she found him to be so interesting. He was well versed in language and literature and the two of them discussed multiple books and other things of that nature. He was a soldier but he told her that he would have rather chose a quill over a sword.

Boromir had his eyes on her the entire time, simply watching her converse with his little brother. This disturbed the future King and his brows furrowed together slightly.

The woman down the table from him didn't seem to notice so he simply sat back and laughed at the wild stories Gimli would tell. It was at one point during the night that their eyes briefly met, giving a smile of acknowledgement to one another.

But as the night wore on and the men became louder from the ale, he saw Quwen exchange a look with Éowyn before they simultaneously rose from the table. Both told the men that the night was getting late and left, heading in opposite directions.

When she retraced her steps and found her room once more, Quwen slammed the door shut behind her. She wasn't lying when she said the it had been getting late. The men, despite being loud and drunk, had been very kind to her and made her feel like she was one of them.

For they had grown a certain aspect of respect for her, knowing how she led a small army of dragons into battle. They asked if she would tell her tale of how she came to know them and she told them that she would have Toran with her when the explaining began.

That was why she had hobbled over to the bed and dropped ungracefully onto the soft blankets. Shutting her eyes, she was only able to remain like that for a moment before she heard the shouting of voices and a very familiar whinny come from underneath the balcony.

"Oh no. Not again..." She grumbled before allowing her eyes to close for only a fraction of a second before she stood up once more and forced herself upward and towards the wardrobe to change.

* * *

Aragorn awoke the next morning with a slightly throbbing head. He hadn't had as much to drink as the others last night so he was not entirely feeling their immense pain. That is why when he was greeted in the morning by his Steward, he gave him a very loud hello and a good slap on the back. Boromir only groaned a greeting as he blinked up at the dark haired man with blood shot eyes.

And even now, as he was making his way towards Quwen's chambers, did he begin to wonder why she had left so early. Well, he knew why she had left so early but he was confused as to why she hadn't come to see him before deciding to sleep.

Stopping in front of the aforementioned chambers, he rapped his knuckles on the wooden door. Not receiving an answer, he knocked again, a little more loudly this time.

"Breeze!" He whispered harshly to the wooden door, hoping that she would get up to answer. His ear pressed against the wood and he used his sharp hearing to listen for any sounds inside. Looking down the hall, he saw that he was clear from prying eyes before he turned the handle and stepped inside.

Moving through the small entry way, he gazed around her chambers until his eyes rested on the bed. He had expected her to be sleeping soundly among the plush blankets and pillows but was surprised to find that she was nowhere to be found.

Looking over to the pile of pillows on the settee, he also thought she might be there but found them bare as well. Where could she have gone off to?

Seeing the lovely purple dress a crumpled mess on the floor, he also saw that the wardrobe was open and the clothes had been shifted about. Walking over to it, he peered down at the open drawers and found a pair of trousers and a tunic missing. He had requested that her room be stocked with clothes most comfortable to her so she could adjust more easily to the life in the White City.

He also noticed that her boots were not in sight and guessed her to have them on her feet instead of using one of the new pairs that sat in the bottom of the chestnut wardrobe. He sighed as he rubbed a hand over his face. She would never change.

* * *

Walking down the busy street, people pushed past one another. They were all crowding around the various stalls in the city, trying to purchase some of the newest goods that had just came in.

Quwen walked through the mass of people, a small smile on her face as she watched a few villagers screaming at each other over the last yard of fabric that a vender was selling. The two women began to tug on it until an audible rip was heard and both women came away with only half the fabric. Then, of course, the vender began to scream for the two women to pay up or that he would get the soldiers.

However, she saw that one booth had less people around it and decided to move over there so she could find some fresh air. As she stepped into the open space, she wondered why no one was crowding this stall when she found it to be a blacksmith vendor. No one was exactly tending it so she stepped forward and picked up a hunting dagger that was lain on a piece of soft fur beside the scabbard.

Turning it over in her hands, she examined the fine craftsmanship in the blade and noticed that it was straight and wide but thin like a blade of elven make. But still, she wondered why no one would be looking at the stock upon seeing that the blades around her were beautiful.

"Hey! If you want to continue to look at that blade, it will cost you fifty silver pieces!" Quwen looked up at the woman that came from behind the corner of a nearby alley. Now she understood why no one came to the vendor.

"Fifty silver pieces?!" Quwen about shrieked, knowing that a blade like that should have only cost thirty.

"Yes, fifty silver pieces!" The woman continued to eye her suspiciously as her fingers turned the blade over once again. Quwen bit the inside of her cheek as she looked down at it. It was of nice make but she just didn't have that type of money. "So are you going to buy it?"

Slightly annoyed hazel eyes flashed up the the cool gray that belonged to the woman. No one bought her products because she was a woman. Who had ever heard of a woman being a blacksmith?

"I don't have the money..." Quwen said with disappointment before placing the knife back down onto the fur.

"Then move along! You're blocking the other customers!" She barked and the blonde woman decided to move away. Turning her back on the dark haired woman, Quwen was surprised when she was called back. "Unless, you want to trade that _lovely_ long sword for it..." Looking down at the sword fastened to her side, a frown immediately marred her features and she wrapped her hand around the hilt protectively.

"I am not trading my father's sword for a fake elven blade!" Quwen snarled and she watched as the woman's chest rose at her words.

"The blade is not fake and it is not even elvish! Besides, what do you know about swords anyway!? You're only a woman!" As she looked at the woman, she felt her blood begin to boil.

"I know plenty!" Quwen protested. People had begun to look their direction which was caused by the shouting.

"Show me then if you really want to keep to your big and tough words!"

"Fine! I will!" Bringing Manadhon from its sheath, Quwen leapt across the remaining space and tackled the woman to the ground. The woman shrieked at the unexpected actions of her supposed customer as Quwen held her down on the ground with her weight.

Seeing how utterly helpless the girl was now that she was on top of her with her blade against her throat, Quwen sighed. She had done it again. It was only a matter of time before the guards would show up and she would be taken away for attacking someone. Sliding off the girl, Quwen pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers.

"I'm sorry..." Quwen quelled her raging temper as she stepped back. Quickly standing up from the ground, Quwen was surprised when a small hand came into contact with her cheek. Her head snapped to the side, along with the braid that still remained in her hair after Legolas had done it last night. Blinking in surprise, her cheek burned as she touched her fingers to it.

"Damn... You didn't have to hit me!" The Lady of the North touched her now tender cheek with her fingers. It was already swelling.

A wild string of curses came from the opposing woman's mouth and Quwen blinked in surprise. She reached for a short sword off to the side and held it against the Lady Ranger. Using her sword, she batted away the short blade. Finally realizing that the words were in rapid elvish, her mouth dropped open at some of the curses before she started shouting back as well.

"_You do not need to yell that in public_!"

"_Get away from my stall you old wench_!" A crowd hard started to gather around their small stall.

"_I am not an old wench_!"

"Wait, you speak elvish...?" Quwen had wanted to continue to scream at the foul mouthed girl and she was surprised at how suddenly she stopped. Tilting her head to the side, she looked at her incredulously.

"Obviously!"

"Alright, you don't have to get snippy with me!" The blonde woman was silent for a moment before she casually crossed her arms over her chest. Opening her mouth, the most foul elvish curse spilled from Quwen's lips and the dark haired woman's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Beat that, darling..." Quwen cooed darkly before beginning to walk away.

"That's right! Get back you good for nothing tramp! Keep on walking!" The dark haired girl continued to call after her. Quwen froze, her shoulders becoming rigid. She knew that coming here this morning was a big mistake.

"Oh please, you are just a little girl who doesn't know how to keep her tongue quiet..."

"I am not a little girl!" She crossed her arms over her chest and began to pout. It was now at this time that Quwen finally began to wonder how she had been speaking, or rather cursing, in elvish.

"Oh really? Because I am very certain that there is a child pouting before me..." Quwen responded.

"I have seen far more of the world than I'm sure you have!" Quwen rolled her eyes before smirking slightly as she shifted in her standing position. Meeting the girl's stormy grey eyes, Quwen leaned across the stall towards her.

"Try me..."

"I've seen my parents killed right before me!" The girl tried.

"Same thing happened to me when I was barely of age..."

"My home was destroyed by orcs!"

"I I was able to wield a sword by the time that happened to my village..."

"My sister drowned in the same flood waters that killed the rest of my people!"

"I-" Quwen was about to go on when she stopped. This story sounded all too familiar to her. Just was she was about to question the girl once more, a man came around the corner the nearby alley with a cluster of blades in his arms. His long dark hair was a shaggy mess on his head. He seemed to be close to the same age as the girl before her. However, through the years of apparent work, this _boy_ really, had gained muscle that replaced his baby fat.

"Aren't scaring off any more customers, are you Ana?" The man asked as he placed the swords upon the table in the back. It appeared as though they were in desperate need of cleaning and repair.

"No but this woman tried to make off with one of your hunting knives!" The girl hissed as she crossed her arms over her chest. He turned around from his work and looked at his lone customer. Everyone had wandered off once the shouting had passed.

Taking in the red mark on her cheek, he immediately looked to the girl.

"_You hit her_!?" His voice rose a few octaves as the elvish spilled forth in disbelief.

"_I had no choice! She jumped on me first_!"

"_Ana, you know that you have to behave! No one will by our weapons if you keep attacking them_!"

"_But it's never my fault_!" The girl whined, causing the man to rub a rough hand over his face. Staring down at her, he reopened his stormy gray eyes and looked back to her.

"_I've understood every single word you've been saying_..." Quwen replied cooly, having witnessed the entire exchange. The man's face paled for a second before looking back to the girl.

"I forgot to mention, she speaks elvish..." The girl played with the end of her long hair innocently. Once again, the man sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. Apparently still feeling her icy gaze on him, he looked back to Quwen before blinking rapidly in surprise yet at the same time, he paled considerably.

"Sister, this is the woman that was riding into the city with the future King! We saw her yesterday, remember?" As if realizing her mistake, the woman's expression mimicked the one of her apparent brother.

"No... No, Roan. I think you're mistaken... Did Gregor accidentally hit you over the head with his hammer again?"

"No! This is her! She was the reason why the King took the entire Gondorian army to the Black Gates! It was so they could rescue her!"

"Indeed she is..." Came a calm voice from behind her. The blonde woman turned around at the familiar voice and her lips twitched upward in an awkward smile upon seeing him. He was dressed in a less elegant set of clothing than from the night before.

"My lord!" Both siblings bowed their heads as he came to stand beside the Lady of the North. She also bowed her head out of respect to the future King and he merely chuckled as he carefully wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Oh, please. I am not King yet..." He insisted and Quwen only smiled as she raised her head, as did the blacksmith siblings.

"Will your coronation be soon then?" Asked the man as he eyed the hand Aragorn had loosely rested on her side. Quwen felt as if she should have turned to hide it but when she tried, Aragorn would not let her.

"The date has not yet been set. We have only just returned to the city. Gondor has gone years without a King. They can do so without one for another few months..." He told them and Quwen smiled inwardly at his answer. It sounded very King-like.

"I am sorry if we insulted your friend, here... You must excuse my sister! She has quite the temper..." He tried to explain as he placed his strong arm around the girl's shoulders.

"It is quite alright. I have dealt with worse before..." Quwen explained as she slightly narrowed her eyes towards the girl.

"She won't be a problem again!" He promised and the Lady of the North could only smile.

"I was worried about you this morning..." Aragorn told her quietly, dismissing the two siblings. Offering his arm, she grasped a hold of it and he began to lead her away.

The crowd around them stopped what they were doing and openly stared at the pair of Rangers as they made their way through the streets of Minas Tirith. Quwen's cheeks burned as she felt hundreds of eyes upon them. The quite lull of the various conversations stopped as they passed as well, everything becoming silent. Aragorn didn't seem to mind though, for he smiled and nodded to the people around him.

"Yes, I can understand why when you discovered me missing from my bed..." Quwen whispered back, a slight smile twitching at her lips.

"May I ask why you were up so early this morning? You are usually one of the late sleepers!" He teased her and she laughed quietly, knowing his words to be _very_ true.

"It is a little hard to explain..." She began and he raised a dark eyebrow in her direction as if giving her silent permission to continue on with her story. "Let's just say that Del was not entirely settled in the city..."

"He escaped like in Lórien?" Quwen didn't answer and accepting that as a yes, Aragorn laughed a loud and hardy laugh, one that made Quwen's knees grow weak just at the simple sound.

"He just isn't used to being in such a big city..." She tried to explain and Aragorn got the double meaning in her voice. She too had also felt trapped and scared in a strange place.

"He will with time..." Aragorn told her and Quwen stopped walking and turned to look up at him.

"You wish us to stay?" Her voice quacked with emotion. The same emotion that could be clearly seen written in her soft hazel eyes. Aragorn could only smile warmly at her, knowing that she was a bit naive when it came to his feelings.

"Of course... I will always want you by my side..."

* * *

**I thought the ending was kind of cute.**

**Guess what I bought recently this week? THE HOBBIT! I'm so excited! I jumped up and down! And now that I have it in my possession, I can begin writing the story!**

**Anyway, now that the hobbit bit settled down, what did you think about this chapter? Nothing really important happens but there is a bit of foreshadowing in this chapter.**

**Did anyone notice it? Does anyone have any ideas as to what is to come? I feel evil :{) (Yes, he has a mustache)**

**Score for the OC hobbit story stands at Thorin: 11 Fili: 7. I like both dwarves but I still am unsure how I'm going to do the story. Still, cast your vote if you want Thorin or Fili to be with my character. By the way, I hope you like her! She's kind of awesome!**

**Love you guys, **

**Blue **


	16. Chapter 16

**Third Person's POV**

Quwen began to climb back up the tall staircase that led up to the palace. Aragorn had left her to herself seeing how he had to attend to more Kingly matters during the later part of the afternoon.

He had shown her around some parts of the city however, she had yet to discover most of what remained and she was anxiously awaiting the next time they could stroll along the streets together. She had been more than happy to be left to herself, though. She had always been more of a solitary creature.

So now she was heading back into the palace as the sun was sinking lower in the sky.

"Did you have fun today, my lady?" Turning her head to the side, she jumped slightly but smiled as Faramir looked up from where he had been quietly reading his book beside one of the grand windows.

"Yes, I did. Your city is very lovely!" Quwen complimented. He just smiled back and closed his book before standing up. He made his way over to her, the small smile on his face the entire time.

"I could only image the wonder that came over when you first saw it with my brother!" Offering her his arm, she took it carefully before allowing him to begin leading her through the palace grounds.

Out of instinct, she began to look around and began to add images to her mental map of the huge building that she had stored inside her head.

"Are you looking for someone, my lady?" Stopping, she realized that the entire time, she had been subconsciously searching for someone. And now that she thought about exactly who was missing, she found the thought to be a bit disturbing.

"Actually, yes. You haven't seen a lone dragon wandering about, have you?"

"Sir Toran?" She nodded, a bit surprised when he answered using the dragon's name and title properly. That had also been one of her biggest worries. She had wondered how the citizens of the White City would have handled a giant, Fire-drake because of what Smaug had done to the dwarves in the past. "I believe I saw him last in the Northern courtyard. He was taking a nap when I passed by..." Her hear leapt at his answer.

"And the Northern courtyard would be...?" He raised an eyebrow before chuckling slightly.

"To the North!" She internally grimaced but laughed heartily on the outside. Letting her head fall into her hand, she shook it before looking up at Faramir.

"Of course..." She murmured and she saw that he had an amused grin on his face, along with mirth in his eyes.

"I suppose it would be best if I were off then! I have many things to discuss with my dear, missing but once again found, friend!" She released his arm before she began to trot off down the long hallway. Waving to the Steward's brother over her shoulder, she beamed at him upon seeing the confused look upon his face.

She was a very odd woman. Nothing compared to a woman of the White City. Yet she was refreshing all the same.

Turning multiple corners and trotting down many corridors, Quwen felt as if she were lost once more. However, she did not feel in the need to hurry, for there was nothing for her to be late for. She could certainly get used to living such a cushy life were she could happily take a bath every day and sleep in a bed at night.

Finally stepping out into a large archway, she soon found the large form of a dozing dragon before her on the lush grass. Smiling to herself, she ran forward on her toes to silence them as she hastily approached the beast. Sneaking around to his front, Quwen wasn't surprised to find his large eyes closed as his warm breath came out in a quiet snore. His warm breath fanned out across her face, brushing her hair back with every exhale.

Walking back to his side, she gripped some of the large scales in her hands and hauled herself upward. Coming to rest on his back, she was still surprised at how he had not woken up yet. Finally, after minutes of waiting, she grew impatient.

"Toran!" She called to him as she sat between his shoulders. It took another moment before he finally raised his head, his green eyes opening in the process. Swiveling his head side to side, she was surprised when he rose and arched his back like a cat would after waking up from a nap. Stretching out his limbs, he settled once more on his stomach, the woman seated between his shoulder blades still unknown to him.

"Did someone say my name?" He mused to himself. Quwen smiled.

"I believe I did!" She admitted once again and he craned his neck backwards to see her.

"My flame!" Toran hollered upon catching sight of the blonde woman. Immediately turning over, she yelped when she was about to hit the ground, only to be snagged by a pair of sharp yet gentle claws. Placing her back onto his broad chest, she settled herself once more before smiling up at him. "I did not hear you approach!"

"I know! It must have been because of your incessant snoring!" She teased, the joy obvious in her tone. "Your senses are beginning to fail you, _my friend_! I bet you have food delivered to you, don't you?"

"It was not my idea in the first place... Although, Aragorn thought it best if I not fly back into the city covered in blood with a dead animal in my clutches..."

"I do suppose that would appear quite terrifying... Aragorn is the one pampering you, then?" He nodded and she only shook her head.

"It certainly wasn't Boromir! Red headed ass that one is! But, no! Aragorn is a very nice man..."

"I am quite aware of how kind Aragorn is! Just today, he informed me that he wished me to remain in the city after everything settled down..."

"And before, you believed that you were to leave?" She nodded her head. "Where would you have gone?"

"I would have returned back to the North... Possibly to live in the Wilds by myself. Ridding the land of what few orcs are now left and saving villages from fires and floods... Sowing crops and helping at harvest-"

"That life sounds terrible!" Toran interrupted and her face fell. Toran had just basically said that her future life was just plain dull. She had believed it would have been wonderful at one point.

"It may not be the most perfect or happiest life but..."

"I'm not in it!" His face fell and she looked up from where she had been rubbing her hand over a cracked scale. "I'm not part of your dull, future life!" He sounded almost remorseful with his words and her brows furrowed. "You're just going to leave us all behind!" She shook her head and was about to explain when he continued on. "You're just going to walk out of all our lives after everything we have been through! You're just going to leave your friends here and you're going to desert me and-"

"TORAN! WOULD YOU SHUT IT!" She yelled, her voice echoing around the empty courtyard. Upon her command, the dragon grew silent but she could still see the silent battle being waged behind his wide eyes. "I am not leaving! Aragorn wants me here with him so I can't leave! That plan was what I was to do with my life had I not gone on the quest to destroy the One Ring! I have become too attached and now I can't leave them behind!" She cried, her hands entangling themselves into her hair from frustration. "What the King requests, I must do..."

"Aragorn wants you to stay...?"

"Yes, he says that he wants me by his side..."

"What is that all about?" Toran asked, something stirring deeply in his stomach. He eyed the woman before him warily, almost dreading her next answer.

"I don't know... I think he wants someone to be there for him when he doesn't know what to do as King..."

"He has..." Toran paused, venom entering his voice upon the very thought of thinking the Steward's name. "He has Boromir to do that job..."

"I guess he needs someone more than Boromir..."

"Faramir could do it. Very nice boy! Very wise for such a young age as well! Kind of like you!" Quwen looked up at him incredulously before blinking her eyes rapidly in confusion.

"At the feast the other night, we had a chance to converse with one another. Going upon my bare judgement, I think I could become very fast friends with him as well! It is nice to have a conversation about other things other than the War..."

"You talk to Aragorn about the War?" Toran asked, his curiosity beginning to grow.

"Not all the time..." She said quietly, her face flushing as she looked back to the scale from earlier. She continued to play with it and the golden color sparkled in the sinking sunlight.

"Then what do you talk about?" She felt her stomach ball up with nerves as Toran pressed about her and Aragorn's discussions.

"We-Just the other day-I-We were discussing things about the royal chambers just the other day!" Upon looking back at Toran, she saw that he had one of his, what would be his eyebrow, raised and had a slight smile twitching at his lips. The dragon was curious as to what had her so flustered. Her sentences were nonsense.

"There is no romance in your discussions?" He asked more quietly as he blew a wave of warm smoke over her. Coughing and swatting at it, her brows furrowed and she glared at the large beast, her cheeks flushed.

"It is indecent to talk to a man of romance until you are married!"

"But I've seen you kissing him before! Doesn't that justify you speaking to him about more romantic things?" The ways of humans confusing him once more, Quwen only shook her head, not wanting to discuss the given topic. Her hands continued to fiddle with the broken scale. It began to wiggle back and forth, ready to be shed so that a new one could grow in its place.

"I-Yes -I don't know! I've never done anything like this before!"

"You've never had a mate before?" He sounded surprised as he looked her up and down. "You seem to be of Aragorn's interest so why have you not had a mate before? Has no other man found you... desireable?" Her cheeks burned once more.

"I-I suppose... but Toran! I'm not talking to you about this right now!" The dragon Prince cut her off.

"So, if Aragorn finds you to be so desireable... Does that mean that one day he may wish to make you his Queen?" This was the right time for the scale to feel as though it needed to be free. With one final strong twist, Quwen went tumbling from his chest only to land on the soft grass below them. With a _thud_, she landed on her back, the golden scale clutched tightly to her chest. The air had rushed from her lungs and she now found herself speechless as her mouth opened and closed as she tried to regain the lost air.

"I was wondering when that one would come out..." Toran mused to himself as he eyed the brilliant scale in her hands. She only coughed before sitting up and gazing down into the scale to see her own reflection. "But what does that mean, Quwen?" She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear are she looked at herself. To everyday standards, Quwen supposed that she was _attractive_ enough for any man. She had certainly never found herself pretty. But, if she had attracted both Aragorn's and Boromir's attention at one point... That had to mean something...

"Maybe, Toran... I-I've just never thought about it before..." That was a lie. That was one of the main things that she had thought about when Aragorn left her back in the camp. She thought she would have never been Queen because of his royal bloodline _and_ because he had said that he hadn't loved her. Which reminded her. She hadn't ever questioned him as to why had hadn't admitted his feeling beforehand. _She_ had, so why hadn't_ he_?

"I thought I would find you out here!" Both creatures turned to the third voice that had entered their conversation. The man who was the topic of their conversation approached the both of them, a wide smile upon his face upon seeing them together.

"Y-Yes! I thought I might visit Toran! Seeing as how I haven't seen him since before we arrived yesterday!" She stood up from the ground and Aragorn immediately wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her into his side. The King was a bit surprised to suddenly see her so flustered but pushed the thought away. He would ask her about it later. Under Toran's knowing gaze, she felt her cheeks redden once again and she inwardly cursed the blasted dragon.

"I wondered where you had run off to after I left you in the market... Toran, did you know that she got into a fight with a lady blacksmith?"

"Blacksmith...?" Toran seemed lost at the new word.

"It's a person who makes and repairs swords and armor..." Quwen explained and the dragon nodded, another human word added to his ever growing vocabulary. It was almost as if the two of them were teaching him a second language.

"I believe she forgot to mention it..." Toran sent her a sharp glare, knowing that she should have elaborated more about her day. Toran couldn't really get out and explore yet. The people of Minas Tirith already questioned having a dragon in the walls of the city. Just think about what would happen should he explore and walk among them.

Quwen only sent him a shy smile, knowing that she was caught. A sudden idea struck her and she looked between the two most important males in her life.

"Say, Aragorn? Would you like to go flying?" She looked up to the tall man. His lips twitched in thought for a moment and she looked back to Toran. He narrowed his eyes at the blonde woman and she simply smiled again.

"Is it safe?"

"Of course!" She cheered before she grasped his hand and began to pull him towards the large brown dragon before them. "It's completely safe! Isn't it Toran?"

"Why would I ever put either of your lives in danger, my lord?" He pointed that threat towards Quwen who ignored it and began to climb upon his back, the dragon scale tucked away in one of the deep pockets of her trousers. Upon reaching the ridge of his back, she noted that the rope harness was removed long ago and scowled.

"We need something to hold onto..." She mused to herself as she ran a hand through her free hair.

"The stables aren't far off... Would rope suffice?" Aragorn asked as she turned to look down at him. She nodded, her hazel eyes sparkling in the setting sunlight. He couldn't resist that wonderful look in her eyes nad without another word, strode off to find rope that would act as a harness.

"What do you think you're doing?!" He hissed once the future King had gone. Quwen only sent him a pointed look before sitting down upon his back once again.

"I want Aragorn to experience flying just as I have!" She insisted. Toran only began to grumble under his breath, smoke steadily billowing from his nose. Quwen was at an utter loss in understanding why Toran was so against Aragorn flying with them. "What is the problem with it?"

"Nothing!" Toran snapped as he stood up and began to pace around the courtyard. His shoulders rolled underneath her barely noticable weight and she sighed as her mind began to wander. It wasn't long until she realized what she had been missing all along.

"You're jealous!" She cried in delight. Toran stopped his pacing then, almost causing her to fall foward and off of him. Bracing herself against his scales, she flipped her hair from her face, seeing as how it had attacked and blinded her when he stopped.

"I am not!" He cried but she only snickered.

"You don't want Aragorn riding you because I have been the _only_ one to ever ride you!" He was silent for a moment before his dam of emotions suddenly just broke.

"Quwen! It's special to me! I don't want anything or anyone to come along and ruin it!" Toran cried in distress, suddenly sounded very childlike. Quwen snorted at his tone before it finally broke into a reall laugh. "Don't laugh at me!"

"I'm not laughing at you! I am simply laughing at the way in which you said it!" She cried as she brushed some hair behind her ear. Toran stopped and sent her a mournful look. "I'm sorry! I'm just really awful..." She admitted and Toran nodded his head slowly.

"You should really learn to control yourself!" He grumbled, settling onto his stomach once more. It was at this time that Aragorn re-entered the courtyard with a long coil of rope in his hands. Standing upon the dragon's back, she held her arms out. The King tossed the bundle of rope into her arms which she easily caught.

Setting to work tying the rope into the same fashion as before, Aragorn watched her as she moved quickly and efficiently in her movements. Using Toran's scales as something to grip onto as he ascended the dragon's power side, Aragorn joined Quwen upon his back.

As she finished tying the last knot, Aragorn's hands covered her own. Nodding to the dragon whose head was stiffly pointed away from the pair, Quwen smiled back at the man. However, it was short lived when Aragorn hastily pressed his lips to her own.

Remembering her discussion from either with the dragon, Quwen's cheeks immediately burned. Sensing her sudden hesitance of her lips, Aragorn pulled back and gazed into her eyes, worry written across his blue pools.

She quickly reassured him by pulling her hand from his grasp and and pulled his face towards her once again. Mashing her lips to his own, Aragorn was still confused but was reassure that nothing was wrong by her forceful yet exciting actions.

"Are you to quite finished yet?" Came Toran's impatient tone. Quwen immediately pulled away from Aragorn, a fresh wave of blood spreading across her cheeks and up to the tips of her ears. The dragon had craned his neck to look back at the two of them, a disinterested look upon his face.

"Right!" Quwen mumbled, immediately righting herself and sitting upon Toran's back. Gripping tightly to the rope, she prepared herself to take off when a warm body slid itself behind her. Aragorn carefully wrapped his arms around her middle, his chin coming to rest upon her shoulder.

"Alright, Toran..." She grumbled and the dragon spread his huge wings. Standing back up to his full height, she felt Aragorn's arms tighten around her. The warmth of his head left her shoulder and Quwen could feel his anxiety building.

As the Prince finished stretching his wings, he pushed off from the ground. Using his huge wings to propel them up into the air, the prince soared straight upward. Quwen merely laughed while gravity seemed to leave them. Her feet once again dangled in midair but this time Aragorn's arms were wrapped almost painfully around her midsection. Her hands were wrapped tightly in the rope of the harness.

As they continued to soar upward, she could faintly hear the shouts of surprised people from below them in the city. It was not everyday that you took witness of a dragon entering flight from inside the walls of the palace.

It wasn't long before Toran began to level out. Her rear carefully met the warm scales of the dragon's back. Aragorn found himself carefully seated behind her once again, his heart in his throat and his stomach long gone.

Turning back to look at him, she smiled and he also did, despite the shaking of his body from the sudden rush of adrenaline. The woman did not notice it and turned back around to face the setting sun, its warmth enveloping all three of them.

She let her hands untangle themselves from the rope harness. They immediately traveled to the hands gripping the front of her tunic. Carefully intertwining their fingers together, she helped the King to relax his tight grip on her.

He gazed down over the side of the dragon to see the rolling fields that lay before the White City. His eyes widened in amazement when he saw how far the ground was below them. Men on horses appeared to be the size of ants. The ruins of Osgiliath miniscule and tiny.

In front of him, Quwen's hair glowed like a bright and golden flame and he longed to run his hands through it. The golden strands lightly whipped against his cheeks and he closed his eyes in contentment, letting their soft touch settle his insides.

"It's amazing isn't it?" Her words drew him from his doze of contentment. Upon opening his eyes, he found her looking intently at him. He simply hummed as in asking what she had said. "The sunset, it's amazing up here?"

Gazing back over her shoulder, Aragorn could now see what she was talking about.

Toran had flown them up into some fluffy white clouds. However, the clouds were stained in multiple shades of pink and red from the sun's rays. It was just settling behind them and the beautiful sight caused the King to softly smile.

The warm rays had also done even more wonderful things to Quwen's face. Her soft hazel eyes were lightened further from the orange clouds around them. The light cast a few shadows over her face but the sight was beautiful nonetheless. He had never felt this way about a woman before. Not even with Arwen.

"It is amazing, just like you..." He whispered into her ear and she laid back against his chest in contentment. He gently kissed her temple before wrapping his arms around her only slightly tighter.

Toran found the whole lot of this very annoying. Feeling his riders cuddle closer, he glanced back at them momentarily before an evil thought entered his mind. It was almost as if Quwen could feel his body tense up.

"Toran, no!" She cried as the dragon suddenly dove downward. Both riders started to drift off of his back before Quwen reached out and grasped the ropes. Aragorn had let out a startled yell as their both their hair whipped wildly about them.

"TORAN, I DESPISE YOU SO MUCH!" She yelled over the wind as she struggled to keep her grip on the ropes that were whipping in the air. The ground came rushing up below them rather quickly and she gritted her teeth in concentration or else she would have screamed. Toran was snickering the entire time, knowing that even though Quwen was angry, she was still enjoying the exciting ride.

At the last moment, the dragon pulled up, his chest rumbling with laughter. Aragorn's arms were wrapped painfully around her waist once more. Quwen would not blame him after what Toran had just put him through.

"Toran..." She growled in a deadly yet quiet tone. The dragon sheepishly looked back at her and the man who had his arms tightly situated around her small waist. His large green eyes were filled with a sense of innocence. Quwen was not amused. "That was not very nice..." She murmured.

"What? My wing started cramping!" Toran protested but Quwen did not have to look at him to know that he was lying. She could hear it in his voice. Sneaky dragon.

"Oh, I'm sure it did..." She grumbled.

"Oh, no!" Both looked up at the dragon at the sudden urgency in his tone. Aragorn had been silent for most of the ride, save for the small yell that had escaped his throat upon their first dive. What else could possible go wrong now?

"What?!"

"Sneeze!" Was the only word that Toran said and Quwen began to panic once more. A sneeze for a dragon meant something entirely different than it would for a human. It was lethal and involved a lot of heat.

"Watch out!" Toran's body grew tense once more and his body involuntary shuttered, flames leaping out into the air from his mouth. Ducking closer to the beast's body, she prayed that they would be safe from the hot fire. Genuinely worrying about his riders, the dragon rolled and got them on his underside. He flew that way for some time with Quwen dangling from the ropes that were tied around the dragon's body. Aragorn also dangled from around her hips, his eyes locked on the ground far below them.

The added weight began to pull on the scar tissue of her chest. Gritting her teeth in pain, she hissed in concentration as she attempted to cling to the ropes wrapped around her wrists.

"TORAN!" She yelled, the sky now clear of the hot flames that the beast had spewed. Quickly turning over, both riders landed hard on his scaled back. "It is time to get home!" Quwen growled as she pushed the wild hair from her face. Sitting up, Toran genuinely felt sorry for what had just happened. Honestly, he had not wished to sneeze. "I've had enough flying time today and I think Aragorn will never speak again..." She admitted, feeling Toran wilt below her.

Turning back in the direction of Minas Tirith, the three of them were absolutely silent for the rest of the ride. The King still clutched onto her tightly, a bit timid to let go considering that they had flown upside down for a good amount of time.

Quwen did not look back at the King the entire time and Aragorn could feel the tension in her body. Yes, she was going to kill the dragon.

* * *

Upon returning to the Northern courtyard, some of the color had returned to Aragorn's cheeks by then. Once Toran's feet touched the ground, he let out a very deep breath that he had been holding. Quwen slid off the dragon's back and helped the weary King down.

The two of them spoke in quiet elvish, Quwen continuously glancing at the dragon with her sharp hazel eyes. Toran only laid on the soft grass, watching the two of them talk in a language he did not know. He could tell by her tone that she was angry but the dark haired man continued to remain calm.

It was only after Aragorn said something softly in elvish before he pressed a kiss to Quwen's lips. This caused the dragon's eyes to widen in shock at the open display of affection between the two of them. He said something else and this caused her to smile and he bowed his head slightly before turning and walking back into the palace. She watched the slim form of the King disappear and he could feel the anger building inside her small form.

Once she was sure that the King was gone, she reeled on the dragon.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" She shouted. Toran flinched back at her loud tone, his head craning away from her and his eyes closing. "ARAGORN WILL NEVER WANT TO FLY AGAIN!" She began to pace back and forth at a furious pace.

"Well, that was kind of the idea..." Toran finally found his voice. Her body turned sharply to face him. He held her gaze steadily with his own, realizing that he was a dragon and she was simply a small mortal being. She should not be yelling at him like this.

"I TRUSTED YOU!" She cried, her hands quickly entangling themselves in her long golden hair.

"I didn't break your trust..." He grumbled and she froze in her furious pace once again. Looking up at him, he saw the hurt in her eyes and he paused for a long moment. "I just wanted it to be you and me flying together... No one else should be able to share that with me except you!" He growled rising to his full height.

"You're a dragon! You shouldn't even care about being with a mortal woman! You should be wanting to eat me!"

"But I do care!" She didn't understand what he meant. His large wings flapped in slight anger and frustration. His tail whipped back and forth angrily as well, knowing that she would not understand. He had wandered out to look over the edge of the city which was now shrouded in darkness. "I care..."

Still confused about what her dragon companion was talking about, she walked over to his side.

"What do you mean?"

"I care about you because I believe that there is something special between us... It is an old dragon myth but I still believe in it..." He continued without meeting her eyes. "Part of me lies inside of you and by some odd fate, we happened to meet... Have you ever wondered why you had always been so happy when I'm with you? It's because you also found your missing piece. Why I make you feel better when your mood is dismal? I make you feel complete..."

The courtyard was utterly silent for the longest time, the only sound around them was the deep fountain from which the dragon could drink from if he so wished. "Toran, I never knew..."

"Do not try to apologize now! There is nothing to be forgiven. It was all my fault really. I acted like a child..." He murmured, a small puff of smoke coming from inside the dragon's nose. Sitting down on his haunches, Quwen glanced up at him, sadness washing over her. She felt terrible for yelling at him now. He was only doing what he felt right because he had felt that she was trying to replace him with Aragorn.

"Is the reason you did what you did was because you felt threatened. You feel like Aragorn is going to replace you in my life..." She carefully touched her hand to his warm scales, warmth radiating up her hand and into her arm.

The dark brown dragon beside her did not say a word and she just assumed that he was answering yes.

"I want you to listen to me, Toran..." He actually looked down at her, his green eyes bold and calculating. "I absolutely, positively love the both of you. However, my love for you and Aragorn are completely different. You are my protector and like my older brother. Aragorn is the man that makes me feel beautiful... Do you understand?"

He nodded. "I will never replace you..." She told him before stepping forward and wrapping her small arms as far as she could around his scaly leg. Toran couldn't help the wide smile that appeared on his face.

"My flame..." He murmured as she stepped back from his leg. Bringing his head down to her level, he pushed his nose into her gut. Instinctively, her hands wrapped around his wide snout and he lifted her from the ground. Her legs dangled freely, Manadhon's scabbard gently tapping against his scaly nose.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you..." She whispered as she gently kissed one of his many scales.

"And I am sorry for scaring your mate of..."

"Toran, he is not my mate!" She hissed upon looking up at him. He only snickered and his eyes danced mirthfully like green flames.

"Yes he is!" He insisted and Quwen felt the annoyance began to bubble back inside her. "he was very affectionate with you!"

"He only loves me..."

"Love is a powerful word, my flame..." Toran said, trying to sound so wise yet Quwen knew that he did not know what he was speaking of.

"Oh shut it, you're a dragon!" Quwen growled as she slapped his nose. Not settling her feet back on the ground, he approached the bubbling fountain. It took her a moment to realize what he was scheming before she began to panic.

"Toran... Toran, no!" She squealed as her grip began to slip from the scales. It felt as if he were heating the scales on purpose so her hands would sweat, causing her to fall. And fall she did.

Landing with a splash, she found herself instantly drenched in the chilled water. Resurfacing from the shallow pool, she pushed her hair back from her face. With an exasperated sigh, she looked up at the angsty dragon.

"Sometimes I wonder why I tolerate you..."

"And don't lie to yourself, you know you love me!" Toran's chest still grumbled as he laughed internally. The woman who caused the spark in his chest looked like a drowned rat and it warmed his heart greatly.

* * *

**Another chapter! Yeah, yeah!**

**Score is Thorin: 12 Fili: 9. I really like Fili. Have I ever mentioned that? Plus, did I mention that I've already started writing my Hobbit story? I'm already like 14,000 words in!**

**You guys can keep voting for who you want my OC to be with. She's pretty great. I like her, a lot.**

**Please continue to review! I love you guys so much! This chapter had a lot of Quwen/Toran fluff. I know some of you like that and some of you don't. So tell me what you think!**

**Love, **

**Blue**


	17. Chapter 17

**Third Person's POV**

Quwen yawned loudly the next morning as she adjusted herself in her saddle. The black leather squealed beneath her trousers and Del's ears flicked backwards upon feeling her adjustment. The Lady hadn't received much sleep last night, seeing how she had discussed more private matters with Toran until the moon had begun to descend into the sky.

Beside her, the hobbits sent an incredulous look her way, knowing Quwen to always be well rested and ready for the day. It was very odd to see her with bags beneath her eyes. Even on the journey between Rivendell and Rohan, she had always usually gotten plenty of sleep.

"Quwen, are you alright?" The hobbits rode on her left and had been keeping a close eye on her the entire time. It took a moment for her to actually realize that they were speaking to her and she shook herself awake before looking at them.

"What?" Her voice was groggy and filled with sleep.

"Pippin asked if you were alright...?"

"Oh, yes! Of course! I'm absolutely wonderful!" She lied, her voice lifting with fake enthusiasm. The curly haired mortals just shared a look, both knowing that to be a blatant lie.

"You sure don't look like you're alright... Did you have a long night?" Merry asked, his eyes narrowed at her yet a small smile twitching at his lips. She could only weakly let her head bob as Del walked along. His reins hung loosely on his neck as her hands were buried in the folds of her cloak from the cold. The stallion simply followed along behind Brego who was just ahead of him.

At hearing their conversation, Aragorn smirked and turned back to look at the sleepy eyed woman. Sometime in the night, he had found her wondering the halls, dripping wet and completely lost in the numerous corridors of the palace. Her arms were wrapped around herself to try and keep her body from shivering. It was a futile attempt.

He had immediately ushered her back to her room and had a bath drawn for her. After leaving her to warm herself in the bathroom, he also constructed a fire in her large and barren fireplace. It must have taken her forever to warm herself up, for she emerged in clean and dry clothes almost an hour later. Her eyes looked heavy with sleep and her head almost couldn't stop dropping every few seconds.

Towing her over to the settee, they both collapsed onto the pillows atop the wide padded bench. He was about to ask her why she had been tripping wet but when he looked over at her, Quwen's head had already dropped onto a pillow and her eyes were closed.

Chuckling, he drug the warm blankets from her bed and covered her with them. Brushing her now soft and damp hair from her face, she made a small noise in her sleep, a noise of contentment. Pressing a soft kiss to her temple, he left her room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

The very next morning, she had not answered the door once more. Peeking his head inside the room, he smiled as he found her asleep in the exact same position as before, the blankets still tucked around her.

"Breeze..." He called to her quietly as he sat down next to her on the pile of soft pillows. His fingers ran through a strand of blonde hair and very slowly, her eyes fluttered open. Inhaling suddenly, she regained conciousness and it took a moment for her to contemplate what was happening.

"We leave for Rohan today..." She said, her voice deepened with sleep. The King nodded his head at her, his finger still playing with her hair.

"You need to get up..." He told her quielty, smiling at the blank look in her eyes. Deciding that she must really get up, her body was not entirely ready to move again. Her hazel eyes had felt heavy with sleep and she had groaned and grumbled as she turned over and buried herself into the pillows.

"Aragorn, I really don't wish to move at all..." Her voice came from between the pillows. The dark haired man simply chuckled before rubbing a hand over his own face.

"Éomer is expecting you to be there. He knows that you are to be riding with us back to Edoras..." He watched as she went still. Her breathing stopped for a short time as she seemed to think things over. "He will be disappointed..."

"Very well..." She sighed before raising her head. Her golden hair was a wavy mess that rested on her back. Slowly rising from her makeshift bed, she grumbled as her small feet touched the cold marble floor. Padding over to the wardrobe, she opened the doors and began to pull random articles of clothing from the various drawers.

Finding a saddle bag in the corner of the cabinet, she pulled it out and began to stuff her tunics and breeches inside. "That isn't necessary. Your saddle bags have already been packed..." She looked at him like he had gone mad.

"You may want a cloak and some gloves. It is a bit chilly out today..." He added with mirth in his eyes. Quwen blinked slowly, her mind still working to organize its thoughts and clear the sleep away. She had nodded her head and turned back to the wardrobe to find something to wear.

Finally emerging from the room with a new cotton cloak around her shoulders and warm mittens on her hands, the two of them headed towards the stables. Her father's sword hung from her side and she rested her hand upon the hilt for comfort. Aragorn was already fitted out in rather kingly traveling clothes that made him appear regal but comfortable.

Taking her hand in his, they reached the stables after a few minutes. The rest of the party had already assembled and were waiting for them to arrive. Feeling her cheeks burn, Quwen then hastily walked over to her speckled stallion to climb onto his back. However she was stopped when she heard unknown voices. Well, she knew these voices but she had not heard them for some time. The voices came into her hearing range and the entire group had also grown silent.

"...think we'll actually see her again? Pippin and Merry said that she's changed a lot and..."

"Speak of the devil, Sam!" Frodo smiled when they finally came into view. It was almost like his big blue eyes had sought her form out instinctively. She was standing beside her tall horse once again, her sharp ears easily picking up their conversation. "Here she is before us!"

"Lady Breeze!" Sam greeted, his small face lifting in a smile. She simply smiled back upon seeing both of her missing companions, realizing that the Fellowship was now truly complete. They approached at their own slow pace, both of them still slightly beat up from their journey to Mt. Doom.

"Master Baggins! Master Gamgee! It is wonderful to see you again and in good spirits..." She bowed her head slightly and both hobbits exchanged a look. She had changed. Never before had they witnessed such manners from their old Ranger friend.

"Oh, come now, _my friends_! You can't think that I have changed that much?" She laughed when she saw the confused look pass between them. His blue eyes sparkling, Frodo looked back to her.

"It is good to see you, too! You were the last of the Fellowhip to see us for you were still out of the city and we were still recovering from our own quest!" Without warning, Quwen stepped forward and hugged the Ring-bearer. He stood rigid for a moment before slowly returning her embrace.

"The two of you have traveled on the hardest journey of any of us. You must promise me that you will retell your tale to me, alright?" Both hobbits nodded their head, knowing that they would also be told the story of how she escaped the Black Lands of Mordor as well. Pippin and Merry had simply summarized it.

Moving to climb upon Del's back, she watched as the two hobbits were offered ponies to ride, as Merry and Pippin had. Sharing a glance with one another, they asked if they would have to walk back to Rohan.

The men around them simply chuckled at their remark before grins broke across both their faces. Quwen's eyes immediately found Aragorn who was calmly seated upon Brego, the reins loose in his palms. He stood at the head of the column and just then, he looked so much like a King. Everything seemed so natural to him as if he had been doing it his whole life.

And now, here they were. Trudging along the seemingly endless North-South road back to Edoras. It would take about five days to get back to the Rohan capital at a reasonably set pace. The horses would have more time to rest and they were not in a rush as they had been before. Théoden's body had been taken back to Rohan before they had left to march on the Black Gates.

Aragorn had also informed Quwen that Éomer would also accept his role as King and take his title. The entire company was to attend the coronation as well as the previous King's funeral.

Now as she looked at the man she considered a brother, she found that the Horse Lord seemed twitchy and anxious as he sat upon his smokey grey stallion. His sister was riding beside him and on her other side lay Faramir. The two of them were engaged in a quiet conversation, Faramir miraculously making the White Lady smile.

Knowing Éomer, Quwen knew that he was probably beginning to worry more about his coronation. Questions probably ran through his mind, keeping him busy so often that he would miss out on conversations. Would he be a great King? Could he ever be as great as his uncle had been? What if he fails?

Quwen also believed these same questions to be running rampant in Aragorn's mind as well. He probably questioned himself on a daily basis and never told her about it. She wished that he would.

After her long night spent with the dragon, he had insisted on remaining behind in Minas Tirith. The people of Rohan might not take kindly to having a dragon in their borders, even if he and his family had certainly helped to win the battle at Pelennor.

Now, Quwen sat on Del's back. The stallion lazily walked along. After much thinking, Quwen had decided that it would be best if she dozed lightly. Del had things under control. She wouldn't have to worry about guiding him. Plus, her body was always more responsive when on horseback so if she needed to be woken up, she could respond rather quickly.

In the many years of her life, she had learned to sleep while moving on the back of a horse. So, deciding that nothing bad could ever happen, she pulled her hood up around her ears and let her eyes slide closed. After all, the group had a long journey before them and she needed to pass the time somehow.

* * *

It was on the fifth and final leg of their journey that Quwen felt she could smile. Actually rising on her own terms that very morning, she had happily prepared herself for the short journey that lay between the traveling party and Edoras.

They had crossed into Rohan at midday the day before. Upon seeing the soft rolling grasses around them, she smiled gleefully. The blonde woman was now as awake as ever having slept upon Del's back for most of the first and second day. The third and fourth days were spent mingling with the Fellowship.

She spent much time laughing loudly with the hobbits. They told tales of their misadventures when they were younger. Pippin and Merry also told her about how they almost blew one another up with one of Gandalf's fireworks at Bilbo's one hundred and eleventh birthday. Frodo informed her that he had just turned thirty three and Quwen congratulated him upon his young age. They could only laugh again.

Bilbo? She swore that she had heard that name before yet she couldn't quite place her finger on it.

She had only laughed along as Gimli also joined in on the story telling and told of what his childhood had been like. He talked a lot of how he had grown up in the Blue Mountains with his father and uncle who later moved to the great dwarf kingdom of Erebor that was still in the process of reconstruction after Smaug's terrible rein.

Quwen had never been to the Lonely Mountain but she had heard stories of its ever growing greatness. She had also stood on other great mountains and saw it from a far distance but never before had she stood in its shadow.

She had even spent some time conversing with Legolas, asking of his home in Mirkwood and of his father. He simply replied that he was content with life and didn't say much else. In the tone of voice he said it, Quwen had to question how strong of a relationship the elf had with his father.

Both Boromir and Faramir had engaged her in conversation at the same time. They had pulled up on either side of her and spoke of many things. They spoke of her home life and family. They spoke of their own family and how Faramir was grateful for her healing his brother. Of course, she had felt uncomfortable and saddened when the thought of her lost family had come up.

And last but not least, she simply rode along between Gandalf and Aragorn. The two men did not encourage conversation but were content enough to just ride alongside one another. And that was that.

Aragorn had only sent soft looks her way and when she was quick enough to catch them, she would send him a look telling him to stop for fear that the others would see.

Éomer had also taken time to ride beside her, though Éowyn looked rather displeased.

"Do you think that the people of Rohan will think me a good King?" He asked her quietly, catching a bit of guard. Risking a glance back at his sister beside Faramir, Éomer felt his lips twitch up slightly. He would also make note of that and ask Quwen about it later. She was good with that sort of thing.

"If you continue to question your judgement, you will certainly not have confidence. Being raised by Théoden, your duties should be natural to you. You will be a great King whether you wish to be or not. Just listen to your people and follow your heart..." Turning his head to look at her, he raised a thick eyebrow. Mirth was in his eyes and her own brow only furrowed.

"That sounds like something from a child's fairytale..."

"Do not laugh at my words! Fairy tales teach us lessons. Some more valuable than the next. Maybe you should sit down and read sometime, actually learn something!" She laughed before snapping Del's reins, causing his head to lift and trot ahead.

"Quwen, wait!" Éomer called to her. Pulling back on the leather straps, Del snorted impatiently at her sudden change of mind. Firefoot joined his side a moment later, both horses wanting to stretch their legs for a good run. "I need to ask you about something else..."

"Then ask away, dearest brother!" She beamed and the Horse Lord noticed how cheery they had been upon entering Rohan once again. She was glad to be heading back to the sunny and rolling plains. They made her feel more at home. She wasn't used to city life in Minas Tirith.

"Don't let Éowyn hear you say that. She may get jealous!" He smiled at her but she shook her head.

"Then let her be jealous! You're my friend and I can call you what I please!" She patted Del's neck and her fingers traced around one of his white spots that contrasted against the warm red of his fur.

"Then you will not be afraid to answer when I need to ask you about what is going on between my sister and young Faramir!"

"Are you completely and utterly blind?" The same hazel eyes gazed back at her with a question written in them. A small smirk pulled at her lips. "You really don't know?" He did not answer and instead, the question was still posed in his eyes.

"It's love of course!" Éomer turned his nose up at the word and looked away from her. "Oh, don't be such a child! You should know about love by now! Surely, you've fallen for a lovely maiden once?"

"Well, of course I've been in love before!" She could tell he was lying or rather there was something she wasn't telling him. Something she would need to know later but she didn't press the matter.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, what kind of a man do you take me for?!"

"One who doesn't love easily. One who thinks that love only occurs in fairy tales. The War for the Ring is over. Peace will settle across the land, along with love. Now, it would be a good time to thinking about your future. You need a Queen if you are to rule. You need heirs..."

"I don't need to have this talk with you right now!" Quwen smiled humorously as she watched the full grown man ride away from her like a child. He needed to start thinking about his future.

"You can't run away from it forever!" She called after him. He only glanced back at her before he continued to ride ahead. "Éomer's in love with a girl and he can't admit that to anyone... Even himself..." She whispered to herself as she smiled once again. It seemed as though love was in the air. Things would return to how they had always been before the days had grown dark.

As the day wound on, they soon passed familiar surroundings. Mountains that were recognizable could be seen in the distance, causing the group to speed their horses along faster.

Del was more than happy to gallop ahead of the group with the other long legged horses only a short distance behind him. Firefoot was more than happy to set the same pace as Del, the horse knowing that they were very close to his home.

Breaking across the crest of the hill, both of the blonde haired riders stopped and smiled. Edoras lay just below them, the roof of the Golden Hall shining brilliantly in the high sun.

"It's wonderful to be back..." Quwen said, just loud enough for Éomer to hear. Simply smiling at her, they both stood and looked over the golden valley. The rest of the Fellowship soon joined them.

"It is indeed..." The Horse Lord also exchanged a glance with his sister whose horse had taken up a place beside Faramir's. The future looked bright for all of them, almost as bright as the sun above their heads.

* * *

"Breeze?" There was a swift knock on the door. One that caused the Lady to stop fixing her hair and look to the door.

"You may enter!" She called back as she faced the mirror once more. A slight frown tugged at her lips as she fought to keep the hair back from her face with a metal clasp. However, the thick golden strands proved to be a bit rambunctious and wished not to be tamed.

Aragorn pushed the door open and stepped into the room, dressed in a black velvet tunic. Glancing at him in the mirror, she only smiled and wrinkled her nose as she caught one exceptionally unruly clump of hair in the clip. Beaming in pride, she was satisfied with her work and looked back at Aragorn once more. He was watching her intently, the corners of his lips turned up slightly.

"You look beautiful this morning..." He said quietly as she stepped back from the mirror. Walking back over to the bed, she slipped on her boots and righted her dress as to not wrinkle it. Éomer had gifted her with the same room from their first stay in Rohan so she had woken up in familiar surroundings. Upon their arrival into the city, the streets of Edoras had been lined with the citizens of the city, crowds gathering as they welcomed their new King home.

"You don't look too shabby this morning either!" She laughed before approaching him. He reached out to her with both arms and she stepped in between them. He pulled her towards him before he dipped his head and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. His beard was rough against her soft skin but she did not mind and actually like the rugged feel of it.

Pulling back, the King rested his forehead against hers, his blue eyes sparkling as they gazed into her own hazel pools.

"We must be off..." He said quietly, his lips brushing hers once again. Much to her disappointment, he stepped back and instead tucked her arm into the crook of his elbow. He led her out of the room and to the main hall.

The room was silent as they entered, the inhabitants in the room had their heads bowed in mourning. Coming to stand beside Legolas and Gimli, the pair of Rangers joined the rest of the room in silence. Aragorn released her arm but he slipped her hand into his and intertwined their fingers.

Éomer and Éowyn were the last to enter the great hall. They were also dressed in darker clothing except the soon-to-be King was dressed in his polished armor, as were the Rohirric guard.

Théoden lay still on an elegantly decorated litter carrier. If she had not known that he had been slain, she would have guessed him to be sleeping. In his hands, his wonderous long sword was clutched, along with a small bouquet of beautiful white flowers.

After quite some time had passed, the guard silently moved forward and lifted the deceased King onto their shoulders. The sea of people who had gathered inside parted and allowed them to pass through, followed closely by Théoden's niece and nephew.

Releasing her hand, Aragorn stepped forward with Boromir and Faramir, the two Steward heirs taking their place beside the King. Legolas quietly pulled Quwen forward and she walked silently between the elf and dwarf with her own sort of honor as a close friend to the deceased King.

As they stepped out into the warm sunlight, the wind caught hold of her dark gray dress and tossed it about her person, agitating her slightly. That was one of the many reasons that she wore trousers more often. Quwen kept her head bowed as the funeral progression made its way through the streets of Edoras.

Tears were steadily falling down Éowyn's face. Her brother was much more composed as his people gazed upon the pair of them. He was a man after all and he had to keep his emotions in check if he wanted to be viewed as a strong and just King.

Upon reaching the tomb, they slid his body under the ground as the White Lady began to sing a song in Rohirric.

"**Now dear Théoden lies in darkness, most loyal of fighters**..." The White Lady began to struggle with the words and she began to choke up. Quwen saw this and decided to swallow her hate for the woman and instead brought forth the love for her fallen friend and ally. Stepping forward, she took a deep breath and swallowed her nerves.

_"_**The sound of the harp shall not wake the warrior; nor shall the man hold a golden wine-cup, nor good hawk swing through the hall, nor the swift horse stamp in the courtyard**..." Éowyn looked to the blonde woman with surprise. Quwen's eyes moved from Éomer's sister to the dark haired man beside Legolas. He had a look of pride and amazement on his face.

"**An evil death has set forth the noble warrior. A song shall sing sorrowing minstrels in Meduseld that he is no more, ****to his lord dearest and kinsmen most beloved**..." Éowyn and Quwen both sang together, the latter holding her hand out for the younger woman to take hold of for support. In her pale green eyes, gratitude shown brightly as their words faded out.

Upon closing the door to the tomb, Éowyn finally began to sob and her older brother pulled her to his chest as a few tears slipped down his own cheeks. The crowd began to break apart until only the Fellowship, Faramir, and the two siblings were left around the tomb.

"He will be greatly missed..." Gandalf murmured as he leaned heavily on his white staff. The hobbits were solemn as they stood towards the front of the group, for they were to short to see over the tall mortals.

"_May the Valar bless him_. He will rest easy knowing that he left his kingdom in your hands, Éomer..." Quwen reached out and grasped a hold of his forearm. The soon-to-be King looked over at her with uncertainty in his eyes. "Remember what I told you..." She whispered with a slight smile on his lips. Tightly embracing the tall man, he gently returned her gesture before she stepped back and returned to Aragorn's side.

The same group quietly filed into the Golden Hall, Quwen and Aragorn hand in hand. The group shared a meal together. Most everyone was still mourning the loss of the great King. Frodo and Sam seemed to be the only ones in a relatively good mood, considering they had not known the Horse Lord.

The night grew later and the group dispersed, going their separate ways and entering their rooms.

Taking the clasp from her hair, the Lady of the North shook her hair free. Slipping her dress off, she pulled the trousers around her waist before tying them in place. She also pulled a tunic over her head. Realising now that she was a bit thirsty, she left her boots beside her bed and padded out of her room.

Tiptoeing down the hallway, she found herself in the empty kitchen. Noticing a small keg of mead in the corner, she picked up a stray mug on the counter before filling it with the sweetened liquid.

Heading back to her room, she took a tentative sip of her drink but as she passed by a doorway, she noticed a large fire blazing in a normally pitch black room. Realizing that she had indeed never even known what this room was, she looked inside and saw the walls lined with shelves with books.

However, her eyes were drawn away from the books to the lone figure that sat in a high backed chair before a long table.

Taking another sip of mead, she stepped inside the room, a slight smile on her lips. Coming to stand behind the chair, she realized that it was Éomer's golden head that she was looking at and gazed over his shoulder.

In his hands, he held a book that had a colorful picture on one side, the other occupied by the words of the story. The picture was of a young Shepard boy who was crying because his flock of sheep was eaten by a wolf who was dressed in sheep's wool.

"That story is of how the boy cried wolf and the townspeople didn't believe him after he did it a few times..." She said as she pointed at the page, causing the man to jump in fright. Slamming the book shut, he turned to look at her with wide eyes. At his terrified look, she simply laughed before taking another swig of mead. "It's does not really have a good moral for a King but..."

"Go away, I am reading!" He told her as he clutched the book to his chest.

"What? You don't want me here?"

"No! I am trying to learn how to be King! And you being here isn't helping me!"

"You can only learn to be King through experience!" He was silent, holding the thick book in his large hands. His fingers absently ran over the leather cover, his lips slightly twitching in thought. The air was thick with silence until his voice cut through it.

"I can not believe that I am to be crowned tomorrow..." Came his quiet voice. Quwen simply looked at him before resting a hand on his shoulder. The man looked back to her and she smiled slightly.

"You have your sister's support. You have the Fellowship's support. You have Aragorn's support. And you have mine... The people who matter most to you are with you. Fear not what your future holds..." She reassured him. The Horse Lord simply nodded his head, his hazel eyes closing in simple exhaustion. The Lady reached down and half embraced him, showing him comfort.

"You should be sleeping..." He said quietly, placing the thick book on his lap. She sighed and nodded her head before making her way over to the door.

"Goodnight, Éomer." She said quietly, her hand bracing herself in the doorway. The golden haired Horse Lord looked over his shoulder at her, a slight smile on his lips.

"Goodnight, Quwen..." Seeing the still unsure, reluctant look in his eyes, she could only look away and leave the room. He was still doubting himself and he would continue to doubt himself. For however long, she did not know.

She just wished that Aragorn would not be so weary of hit title as her friend was.

* * *

**So, nothing really happens in this chapter. It was kind of just a filler that was necessary. Sorry if you don't really like it. **

**On the other hand, I'm like 24,000 words deep into the hobbit. **

**You can still vote for who you want it to be because I can always go back and change certain bits. I have no clue what the score is and I'm to lazy to go back and look because I only got three hours asleep last night. **

**Still love you guys. Keep reviewing.**

**Love,**

**Blue**


	18. Chapter 18

**Third Person's POV**

Blinking as she stepped outside, she shielded her eyes from the light of the new day that was approaching. The sun had yet to peak over the horizon yet and she stretched as she stood out upon the front steps of the Golden Hall.

Very similar to the morning before, Quwen had risen earlier than normal and on her own accord. Excitement was in the air as she stepped from her room. Maids and servants had been racing about the hall already so early in the morning so the Lady of the North simply slipped out the front door, hardly making a sound.

Her normally wavy hair was pulled back in a loose knot to keep it from her face. She was dressed in more casual wear that consisted of a tunic and a pair of trousers.

Immediately, she snuck into the stables and crept down the center aisle before she came to Firefoot's stall. Greeting the smokey gray stallion, he nickered at her before she patted his rump and slipped a bridle over his head before leading him outside.

Dumping buckets of water over his strong back, she watched in fascination as his muscles twitched as the droplets rolled down his side. Setting to work bathing him, she scrubbed furiously at his coat with some horse soaps she had found, wishing the horse's coat to shine in the sunlight as the new King rode him from Edoras.

It just seemed right for the King and his steed to look perfect before his new citizens. Cleaning away all of the dead hair from the smokey stallion, she grimaced as she tossed a handful of shaggy to the washstall floor. Hearing a whiney over her shoulder, she also saw Brego peering over his stall and looking at her. Simply laughing at the friendly stallion, she went back to scrubbing Firefoot.

She guessed that she would also have to clean Brego as well, maybe even Arod and without a doubt, Del would want a bath. At that thought she shook her head. No, Del _would_ need a bath.

She moved to Firefoot's large head and took his thick mane into her fingers. Beginning to weave them back and forth in a small braid, she took note that she would have to travel outside of the village to find flowers to weave into his dark hair.

When she was young, her mother had shown her how to do multiple braids. She also taught her that they meant different things. Quwen had learned from her mother the customs of Rohan. The King's stallion was to look royal and galiant, just as his rider was.

_"Quwen!" The little girl looked over at her mother who stood beside an older palimino mare. She rose from where she had been looking for flowers upon her mother's request._

_Taking the bundle of multicolored flowers with her, the seven year old beamed and soon joined her mother by the mare._

_"Yes, mother?"_

_"I'm going to teach you something. Something very valuable..." Picking up the skinny child, she placed her ever-growing form upon a tall mounting box that the old mare was tied nearby._

_"What does it have to do with ponies?"_

_"My sweet, these are not ponies! How many more times must I remind you?" The little blonde girl just smiled sweetly up at the older woman. "Ponies are little..."_

_"Like me!" Her mother beamed down at her, carefully stroking her rosy cheek in the process._

_"Yes, like you! Now, watch..." Taking the soft white mane into her fingers, Arya began to weave them back and forth. Securing the end, the woman rolled the braid up into a small ball before securing it in place. Quwen continued to watch as her mother set to work going down the horse's whole mane. When she finished, a whole row of little bobs sat in a perfect line along the length of the mare's neck._

_"Mother! It's so pretty!" The older woman laughed as her daughter tentively reached up and touched one of the soft buns. The woman smiled softly at her child, once more thankful for having such a beautiful daughter. _

_"May I have one of your flowers?" Her mother asked, holding her hand out to the child. Looking down at the exposed palm, Quwen looked to her small bundle of flowers before picking one about and giving it to her mother. _

_Moving to stand behind the mare, Arya also began to weave the long white hair up into a bob and she contniued to take flowers from Quwen. Placing them into the bob, the mare's tale was a beautiful ball of flowers. _

_"Do you see how I did it, my love?" She bent down to her daughter's level. Letting the little girl hop down from the box, Quwen walked behind the gentle horse and inspected the work her mother had done. _

_"But, what does this braid mean?" Her hazel eyes shown with wonder as she looked up at the older woman. _

_"These braids..." The woman pointed to the buns on the horse's neck. "Signify that the horse is of great importance and belongs to royalty!"_

_"Royalty?"_

_"Like Kings and Queens that rule the far off distant lands..." Her mother explained. The little girl slowly nodded her head in understanding. _

_"I'm going to make a braid for a King one day!" It was adorable to see her daughter bounce around with such delight, despite her father being away on a patrol. The blonde woman simply laughed and smiled. _

_"I do not doubt that you will, Quwen..."_

"You sure are a handsome stallion..." Quwen said as she smiled at the memory. She stroked Firefoot's dark muzzle before moving behind him to weave his tail together in a thick bob just as her mother had shown her. "No wonder Delgaranor is jealous of you..." She mused, her lips quirking upward.

Leaving him tied in the wash pen, she moved silently back into the stable and found Del stretched out on the hay covered floor in his stall.

"Delgaranor..." She murmured, shaking her head at her steed. "Such a silly horse..." Hearing her voice, his ears lifted and he slowly raised head. His eyes settled on her form and he clamored to his hooves. A stray bag hung from a post and thinking ahead, she slung it over her shoulder, for she would need it later to hold her flowers.

Nickering, he pressed his thick head to her torso, showing his affection. Stroking his strong jaw, she smiled at the warmth that he showed towards her.

"Do you wish to go riding this morning?" She asked quietly and he stilled, his ears rising upon hearing hearing 'ride'. He whinnied quietly and she laughed before moving to his side.

Slipping up onto his back, she held his thick mane in her hands and directed him outdoors. She could feel how excited his muscles were as they twitched with excitement for the upcoming ride.

His hooves clomped loudly on the stone path that led through Edoras until she reached the outermost gate. Nodding to the guards as she walked passed, Del bobbed his head and the men gave her an odd look.

"Alright, Del..." He raised his head up upon hearing his name. "We must be quick with our work, ya!" He leapt forward at upon hearing her words and his hooves pounded across the hard ground.

Traveling across the grand rolling plains, Quwen used her sharp eyes to scan the tall, golden grass for the soft color of the flowers she was searching for. A lovely lilac would look wonderful in Firefoot's charcoal mane.

It felt wonderful to be riding bareback across the flat plains. It had been some time since Quwen had ridden without a saddle and she loved the feeling of Del moving so easily beneath her. He moved so gracefully and if she hadn't known his age, she would have never realised how old he really was.

He still moved like a dream.

"Delgaranor!" The horse slammed on his brakes, his hooves skidding in the dirt. From atop his high back, she could easily see the soft blues and purples hidden in the shadows.

Slipping from his back, the horse bent his head down and immediately found some green grass also hidden closer to the ground in the long, golden foliage. Bending down to pick the flowers, she placed the sweet smelling things into the bag on her hip.

Grumbling as her hair slipped from its leather binding, it tumbled around her face until she could not see. Pushing it behind her ear, she bent down once more to retrieve the small flowers.

Hearing and both feeling a horse approaching, she glanced up, panicking that it was Éomer when in reality, it was only the familiar face of her fellow Ranger on the horse that had greeted her so eagerly upon arriving in the stables.

Bobbing up and down on Brego, he smiled upon seeing her and Brego came to a halt beside Del. The speckled horse nickered in greeting before he lowered his head to the ground once more to resume his nibbling.

"Aragorn!" She smiled up at him before she returned to her flower picking. Sliding from the back of his chocolate horse, his booted feet landed on the ground.

"I found it odd that you were not in your room this morning..." She looked up, a violet flower clutched in her long fingers. "Once I found Del missing, I knew you must have come out here..." He explained as he walked closer to her. She simply exchanged a smile with him before going back to her work.

"Flowers?" He asked, a question present in his blue eyes.

"For Éomer..." She explained before reaching out to grasp onto another perfect violet. "I want Firefoot to look handsome for his King..." She explained as she moved to pull out another blue lobelia. However, a fingerless gloved hand reached down and grasped her own hand in his. Carefully taking the soft blue flower from her fingers, both of them stood up.

Aragorn carefully brushed her hair back before he placed the blue flower into her soft locks. His fingers left the flower and they trailed down her cheek before cupping her chin.

Looking down into her soft hazel eyes, he saw them shimmer with joy before he dipped his head down towards her. Standing upon the tips of her toes, she met his lips with hers in a soft embrace. After a moment, the dark haired man pulled back, a mischievious quirk to his lips.

"I always find myself staring in awe at the beautiful flower before me... and this lovely lobelia..." He carefully touched the flower in her ear. At his humor, she smiled before her cheeks flushed softly.

"You have such a way with words, Aragorn!" She lightly hit his chest. Stepping from his arms, she bent down to return to her work.

"I heard a rumor this morning..." She glanced up at him but then look back and continued on with her work."A dangerous man has been spotted wandering the streets of Edoras..."

"Oh, really?" Her concern was genuine and her brow wrinkled as she listened. Finding a pure white flower among the patch of blues and purples, she plucked it from the ground. "What is his name?" However, Aragorn did not answer her. Instead, she straightened up as she examined the flower and soon felt a warm chest against her back.

"Strider..." He breathed against the warm skin of her neck, causing her to shiver. Smirking softly, Aragorn's nose touched her jaw, leaving a warm trail on her skin.

"Strider?" She decided to play along with his antics. Her fingers continued to twist the stem of the flower between them. "Such a dark and mysterious name for a dark and mysterious man... What brings a man like him to this part of Rohan?"

"No one knows. He just sneaks into homes at night..." He breathed against her skin again, causing it to raise in goosebumps."And then he quickly and quietly claims innocent maidens' lips before disappearing without another thought..."

"And..." She struggled to control her breathing as he carefully began to kiss the flesh of her neck. "Just exactly how dangerous is he?"

Turning around in his arms, she looked up into his wonderfully blue eyes and he wore a handsome smirk on his face. "Extremely dangerous..." He whispered before his lips heatedly claimed her own. Letting out a small squeak of surprise, Quwen felt his hands upon her face, carefully caressing her tanned cheeks with his thumbs.

Their lips moved slowly and carefully together, almost as if they pulled apart, the other would disappear for all eternity.

They started to back up, their kisses becoming more heated and sloppy until Aragorn took a few rushed steps, causing their feet to tangle together and they tumbled to the ground in a heap.

With luck, Aragorn was able to turn them over and he landed beneath her this time. She fell upon his chest, knocking the wind from him and causing him to chuckle. The small white flower was still in her grasp and she smiled down at the King.

It was alomst ironic how often they found themselves in this situation.

"However, I believe that this _Strider_..." He liked the name coming from her lips and he smiled, his eyes half closed. Carefully taking the flower, she traced it along the lines of his face. Closing his eyes, he let her continue her little ministrations, a small smile on his lips. The petals carressed his stubbed jaw and nose before arching up to his brows. "Is no match for the wild huntress that wanders the wild, waiting to prey upon innocent men who happen to pass by..."

"Oh, really?" It was Aragorn's turn to speak, a his lips quirked up in a small smirk. "And what if they were to meet?"

"If they were to meet, I think that they would be equally matched. Both of them are rather sly characters..." She murmured before closing her eyes and kissing him, her hand tangling in his dark hair which contrasted beautifully against her skin. This continued on for a few minutes before something in her mind clicked that she should be picking flowers. Not kissing a King.

"You are distracting me from my work..." She said in between kisses as she continued to let her hand move across his chest and into his hair. Tossing the white flower over her shoulder, she let her other hand stroak his strong jaw.

"Indeed, yet it is fun distracting you..."

"You are being an irresponsible man, Aragorn. It is very unlike you..." He chuckled at her words, his blue eyes sparkling.

"You changed me, Breeze... For the better..."

"I did not change you, Aragorn. I simply cleaned you up and looked beneath the scruffy Ranger. But your looks did not matter to me, for you showed me who you are and you made me want to be a better person..." She smiled down at him to see the a new light entering his cool blue eyes. He understood that she indeed was not the same woman who he had left Bree with all those months ago. She had re-learned her manners, she wore dresses, she acted ladylike... for him. For the King he was supposed to become.

"You must distract me no more..." She whispered before pressing a quick kiss to his lips before standing up and moving back to the patch of flowers. Bending down, she began her work once again. However, she soon felt the man come up behind her again and place a warm hand upon her back.

"Aragorn! Stop!" She warned him, turning around and carefully smacking his hand. The man simply laughed before she tried swatting at him again but he moved out of the way.

Chuckling, Aragorn moved away from her to look down into the small dip that suddenly appeared before him. It was odd how it was invisible unless you were staring down into it.

But what lie at the bottom of the small valley whipped the smile from his face until it took on a look of awe.

"Breeze..." She heard him call her name but she didn't look up from her work, choosing not to answer. "Quwen!"

"I am intentionally not answering you so if you would please stop speaking-"

"Come look at this!" He interrupted her. Closing her open mouth which had fallen open in shock when he had interrupted her, she straightened. He had never interrupted her before. Grumbling, she shoved another flower into the bag and began to make her way over to him.

"I swear, if you do not leave me to my work I will never get it done and Éomer will be disappoin-" Her words fell away as she took in the sight before her. The flowers lining the rolling land below them left the two Rangers standing in awe.

Butterflies fluttered without worry in the growing morning sun, flitting from flower to flower. A few wild deer even nibbled on the thick clover that lay among the different hues of colors. The animals raised their head upon hearing the argument ensue but then they dropped them back to the ground, almost sensing how at ease with nature the two Rangers were.

"It's... It's..." Quwen began to speak after a while, the satchel slipping from her shoulder to the ground. "Wonderful." Aragorn finished the sentence for her. Tearing their eyes away from the scenery, they both shared a smile.

Bending down, Aragorn swept the bag from the ground before holding out his hand to the Lady. Looking down at his extended fingers, she smiled before carefully slipping her hand into his.

"Come on!" He pulled her along behind him, the two running through the flowers, not a care in the world. Their laughter echoed off the grassy sides of the valley. The deer scattered upon the humans running towards them. The butterfly wings brushed against the skin of their cheeks as they ran, both of them scooping up handfuls of random flowers. The sun had just came of the horizon, beginning to warm the day.

Sauron was no longer a lingering threat. There would no longer be orcs or wargs. The Nazgûl were no more. Villages would be rebuilt. Families would be reunited. Families would be started. The darkness was gone.

Life was beautiful once again.

* * *

"QUWEN!" A loud knock pounded on the door, causing the woman to jump. She was once again standing before the mirror in her room, trying her best to tame her wild hair. Why she couldn't wear it loose, she did not know. She supposed that Aragorn liked it down but pulled back from her face.

"WHAT?!" She snapped back. The four hobbits snickered outside the door upon hearing her angry tone. Sam and Frodo may have been wrong when saying that she had changed much.

"You're going to be late!" Pippin cried.

"I know!" She flushed as she secured another long strand of hair in place with the elegantly woven clip. Taking a towel from the warm bowl of water off to the side, she ran it over her face once more, simply trying to get rid of the sweat of her hurried preparation.

After exploring the valley with Aragorn, she had been very late upon returning to her work with Firefoot, Del, and the other horses, meaning she had to rush her bath. Her hair was still a bit stringy from bathing but she had ruffled it multiple times with another towel.

"Hurry!" Merry yelled through the door. Listening to his words, the woman quickly finished with her hair before hiking up her dress and running over to slip her boots on her feet. The dark green dress fell back down to cover her legs before she went to the door. Throwing it open, she looked a bit frazzled and rushed to the hobbits.

"How do I look?" She asked them with a breathless smile. They all laughed slightly at her disheveled state, causing her to frown in unappreciation and confusion.

"You look as though you need help..." A voice came from behind one of the pillars, causing all the inhabitants to stop and look to where the person was hidden. They all watched as Boromir stepped from behind the wide pillar, a small smile on his face.

"Boromir!" Pippin smiled at the auburn haired man who returned the gesture. Moving to stand beside them, his hair was combed and his beard was trimmed neatly. He was dressed in a silver tunic that bore the crest of Gondor on the front.

"Well, I was a bit rushed this morning..." She smiled at him before fidgeting slightly with her dress. Boromir shook his head before sighing and moving to stand behind her. Grasping the soft material between his fingers, he tugged it to the side slightly, straightening it out and successfully righting it. Glancing back at him, she told him thank you before turning away from his lustful gray eyes.

"Aragorn sent for me, yes?" She asked as she fixed a few crazy strands of curly hair that belonged to Pippin. The small hobbit just grumbled and tried to swat at her hands, much to the other hobbits' amusement.

It was odd seeing the group of hobbits dressed regally in the different hues that adorned the Rohirric flag. Merry was dressed in a smaller set of armor, seeing as how he was an esquire of Rohan. The own colors of her dress were set to match the lovely earthen tone on the banner as well.

"Indeed. He sent for me to gather you. He's in his room but you will see him at the beginning of the ceremony..." She bobbed her head in understanding, reaching down to gather her longer dress in her hands.

For you see, Éomer would be crowned before the throne of the Golden Hall and then, as custom, he would travel across Rohan, announcing his new reign.

The other Kings from the distant lands were to accompany him, along with a few others that had been selected by hand from the King. Quwen was one of the few. The rest of the Fellowship would stay for a short while back in Edoras but then they would leave for Gondor to return to Minas Tirith.

Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, and Quwen would return to the White City as well upon their passing by of the border.

However, they were to ride through Edoras from the ceremony and out the front gates upon their horses. That was why Quwen had been up so early in gathering flowers and preparing the horses. They were to look regal and divine, as a King and his company should be.

Holding his arm out to the Lady, she curtsied slightly before she tentatively took his arm and he began to lead her away with the hobbits in tow. Gimli soon joined the small train, coming from his respective room.

Entering a side door, they arrived inside the hall, the crowd of people already gathered ceased in their wild buzz of excitement in hope that it be the man to be coronated in minutes.

Instead, seeing that it was Quwen, Boromir, and the hobbits, they resumed their chatter.

Coming to stand beside his little brother, Boromir beamed at the other Steward heir, who returned the gesture easily. On his other side lay the White Lady, her hair done up elegantly in a complicated braid. She wore a gown of deep gold that was a few shades darker than her own hair.

Offering her a rather bright smile, Quwen was surprised at the woman's actions, knowing her to not be very friendly towards the Lady of the North because of her relationship with Aragorn.

The double side doors to the side of the room suddenly was opened by two of the Rohirric guard. As they swung open, a hush fell over the crowd. Looking up from where his eyes had been on the ground, Éomer's hazel eyes took in the crowded hall and he visibly tensed.

Seeing his sister and Quwen in the group, he was able to relax a bit, knowing that they were there to support him. Gathering his wits, he strode forward. He looked very handsome dressed in his polished leather armor. As he walked out into the crowd, the people he passed by bowed their heads in respect to the man who seemed to radiate confidence.

Both Aragorn and Legolas flanked the Horse Lord, representing Gondor and Mirkwood. Both were dressed in regal clothes as well, Legolas bathed in the colors of his homeland. Aragorn was similarly dressed, clothed in a royal blue tunic with the White Tree of Gondor emblazoned upon the front. His hair was once again combed and Quwen was relieved. It had been quite the mess when they returned from their little mishap out in the valley.

Finding her in the crowd, Aragorn's lips twitched slightly in a smile. He cast her a sideways look from behind Éomer, his hands folded before him and his head was bowed.

The three of them arrived before the grand wooden throne were Gandalf was standing. Merry stood off to the side with the crown placed on a velvet cushion.

Upon ushering him up to the throne, Aragorn and Legolas left his side with another bow before rejoining the Fellowship. Aragorn smiled upon returning to Quwen's side, laughing because she had indeed threw herself together well in the brief time she had been given to clean up.

"We have gathered here today to witness the crowning of your Chief Marshal of the Mark..." Éomer knelt down on his knees before the White Wizard, bowing his head down.

"Éomer, child of the house of Eorl, son of Éomund and nephew to the late King Théoden. Do you swear to guard Rohan, your land?"

"I swear..." The Horse Lord replied quietly.

"And do you swear to preserve the peace and plan to restore balance all across your land?"

"I swear..."

"Do you swear to cast aside all selfish emotions and swear yourself only to your land and your people?"

"I swear it..." Gandalf smiled and nodded his head. Motioning for Merry to step forward, the hobbit complied and offered the silky pillow up to the wizard. Taking the crown upon the pillow into his thin fingers, the older man stepped towards the man knelt before him. Carefully lowering the golden crown down onto his equally golden hair, Quwen smiled at the sight. He deserved every bit of this.

"Rise..." Gandalf ordered Éomer who did as he was told. "And it is that on this day, I decree Éomer, son of Éomund, the King of the Mark and King of Rohan!" A round of cheers and applause broke out across crowd of people. Aragorn and Quwen shared large smiles as they cheered for their friend.

Turning to face the crowd of people, he smiled widely and waved to his loyal subjects.

"Go forth and spread your news to the rest of your people!" Gandalf ordered again. Éomer bowed in respect to the wizard, catching the eye of his companions who were to follow him.

Striding down the steps to the throne, the crowd of people parted and the guards opened the doors, revealing the bright blue sky awaiting them. Offering an arm to her, Aragorn ushered Quwen down the front steps over to their horses that were awaiting them.

Del bobbed his head in greeting, his long mane now braided with flowers woven in to it was well. His tail was still free, save a few flowers tied at the very base. Brego, Firefoot, and Arod also wore their flowers in similar fashions.

Hoisting up her dress slightly, Quwen stepped into the stirrup with a bit of help from Aragorn. Upon seating herself on her rear, she spread the dress out over Del's rump so that the green velvet rested upon it. The others had climbed upon their horses' backs as well, their steeds stamping about in excitement.

"And it is on this very day that I shall renew the Oath of Eorl and proclaim that Rohan will have an ever lasting friendship with the people of Gondor!" The new King declared as he sat upon his valiant steed. Quwen shared a smile with him, as well as Aragorn.

"Farewell to you, my beloved people! Ya!" The King of the Mark called before urging Firefoot forward. The steed leapt forward upon his rider's command. The other horses eagerly followed behind the smokey steed. Running down the long road through the city, Éomer led them on their ride.

Out the front gates of the city and onto the wide plains, they galloped. Falling into step beside one another, the horses all galloped in a straight line. Sharing a look with Aragorn who was on her right, she beamed at him with him returning the favor.

Was it almost bad to say that she couldn't wait until Aragorn was crowned?

She saw the hope that it instilled in people. She saw the love that a King shared for his people. She saw how much the people could grow to love their King. How much they could grow to love one another. How much a kingdom could flourish under the tender hand of her caregiver.

She just knew that she wanted to be apart of it. All of it.

* * *

**I'm a terrible person. I've had such a block for so long. I've literally been writing this for almost two weeks. **

**You can still vote for which dwarf you want to see in my next story as well. I might take a short Lord of the Rings break and continue to work on my Avengers story. Iron Man 3 is coming out and I'm excited!**

**Might write another few chapters. **

**Anyway, I apologize. There will probably be a time jump in the next chapter. Probably like a few weeks or so so that they will arrive back in Minas Tirith right away. We really need to get things rolling with their romance. **

**Don't know when the next chapter will come out. Might be some time. Sorry. Keep reviewing.**

**Love,**

**Blue**


	19. Chapter 19

**Third Person's POV**

Standing atop the hill, the four cloaked riders stopped and gazed down at the large city before them. They were all silent and didn't exchange any words before a man upon the chocolate horse stepped forward, leading the way.

Their cloaks billowed in the strong wind that swept across the flat field before the grand city, threatening to tear the hoods from their very heads.

The others quietly fell into line behind him. The last rider hesitated another moment, looking over their shoulder at the caravan that was moving away from them and back to their own home. How they wished to return with them. Life was simpler in Rohan.

The horse shifted beneath their feet, an annoying snort coming from his nose. Turning around to face the city, they sighed before quietly urging their horse forward and down the path behind the other horses.

As they entered into the city gates, people cheered and waved to the warriors arriving home, their friends reaching the city a few weeks before. By that time, the rest of the unusual company had settled into the city and had eagerly awaited their friends' return.

* * *

Standing upon the watch tower at the top of one of the tall, white buildings, Pippin narrowed his eyes as he tried to make out the shapes moving toward the city.

"They're back!" Pippin cried as he stood in one of the watch towers and gazed down upon the gate. He could barely make out the shapes of their horses. Their friends were coming into the city upon horseback and the curly haired being raced down the stone staircase, his mellow mood of the day now forgotten and it was replaced with a renewed excitement.

Weaving around the people, he knew who he had to find. He had to get back to the palace. Pushing through the crowds, Pippin ducked under a large horse, quickly stepping between its legs before moving on.

He also leapt up into a cart, running across and dodging the sharp weapons that were hung inside it. He yelped when he had to duck beneath a sharp scythe, it almost took off his head!

As he ran back onto the paved street, people yelled and dodged out of his way. Accidentally knocking into a stall, he caused all the fruit to fall and land with a thud on the ground. The stall keeper yelled and shook his fist at the man but waved and simply continued on. The hobbits can safely say that they caused a bit of mischief in the time that they had been given in the city.

Upon reaching western palace entrance, his hairy feet pounding on the marble.

"MMMEEEEEEERRRRRRYYYYY!" He called as he ran passed their room. The older hobbit had been sitting quietly, smoking on his pipe as he looked out over the small garden that was just below the balcony when he heard his friend go streaking by.

With curiosity, he peaked his head out the door to see his friend running down the hall.

"What is it, Pip?!" He called after him. The hobbit was a good distance away now and he suddenly stopped and looked back at him.

"Come on!" He simply said before waving his arm and motioning for him to follow behind. Without another word, Merry did. Just like his younger friend, a large smile lit his face and he took off after the other hobbit.

Sam and Frodo also peered out of their room. They had heard Pippin yell and were curious about what was going on. "Pippin?" Frodo asked, a small smile on his face.

Pippin slammed on his brakes once again, turning to look at his friends.

"They're back!" He beamed before jerking his head in the other direction. He then took off once more and they lost sight of him as he rounded a corner. Simply exchanging a smile, the two hobbits were nearly ran over by the third hobbit and he ran between the two of them and after Pippin.

Sam and Frodo simply shook their heads in amusement before following after him.

Pippin was now racing down the various hallways, turning the endless corners. He was now panting heavily and a bit of sweat was on his brow. Up ahead, he could see sunlight streaming through an archway that led to the garden. He ran out into the bright light and followed along a marble walkway through the garden. He could see Gandalf's white robes as he walked among the newly budding trees.

"GANDALF!" He cried out, slowing to a walk but still following along the path. The older man looked up from where he had been admiring a single bloom and a few green leaves that had fallen from the branches of the tree. However, Gandalf wasn't alone.

"Pippin, what is wrong?" Faramir gripped the hilt of his sword, his face edged with concern. The hobbit hadn't even noticed Boromir's younger brother and raised his eyebrows in surpsie.

"They're back!" Pippin cheered without another thought, his lips pulled back with a large smile. The two older men looked at each other before looking back to the smiling hobbit.

"Then it is our duty to greet them!" Gandalf hit the end of his staff upon the ground before carefully walking towards Pippin. The rest of the hobbits just came around the corner to see Gandalf join Pippin. Faramir soon joined the two of them and walked to rejoin the group of other hobbits.

What lingered of the Fellowship walked back towards the main hall where they were told the group was approaching. Gimli had joined the group as well and was now bickering about why he had been woken up by a guard. They hadn't told him, he was just to come.

Standing upon the front steps before the grand hall, they could see the four hooded riders approaching up the stone road. It was a bit drizzly outside and that was the reason that their hoods were up and covering their faces.

Gandalf smiled at the approaching group. They all seemed to have survived.

As the group came to a halt before them, Gimli now blinked the sleep from his eyes. As the first rider dismounted, his green cloak shifted and came to rest upon his long legs.

"Nice to see your handsome face again, laddie!" Gimli cheered as he rushed forward at a surprising sprint. Slamming into the person, the dwarf caused the elf's hood to fall from his head. Legolas simply laughed at the dwarf's antics before awkwardly patting his back to try and return some form of affection.

The next man to dismount was quickly joined in an embrace by the auburn haired Faramir. Both brothers laughed and Boromir harshly patted his little brother on his back in greeting. The two soon began to converse, the others simply forgotten.

The third rider simply dismounted, flashing a bright smile in Gandalf's direction before heading over to the fourth rider. Holding his hand out, the fourth rider simply looked down and placed a fingerless gloved hand into his own.

Slidding a leg over the side, the third rider helped the fourth down until its feet met the stone of the courtyard. The fourth rider was of course shorter than the tall frame of the third figure.

He watched as the two hooded figures stood close together, the taller of the two holding the forth's upper arms in his hands as they spoke quietly.

"Quwen!" Pippin called, no longer able to contain his excitement. Both of the hooded figures looked over at him and the other hobbits. They simply stared for a moment before the youngest of the four hobbits sprinted towards the fourth figure.

Smashing into her side, the hobbit grabbed at her familiar green cloak, doing his best to hug her figure. He was soon joined by the other hobbits, Frodo and Sam also tightly embracing Aragorn.

"We've missed you!" Merry said as he also clung to her. The blonde woman simply laughed before pushing her hood down and letting her hair free.

"Of course you have!" She said as she beamed down at them. Ruffling their curly hair, they released her and stepped back to look at her face. Pippin felt a small frown twitch at his lips. She looked... different.

Her hair was wild and free, it was also lighter from spendind more days out in the sunlight. She seemed to have gained a little weight but she looked healthier than before. After all, Sauron had starved her when she had been captured. Her skin was more sun-kissed than before, giving it a healthy glow. She no longer wore a dress like she had when they left Edoras. She was in a clean pair of trousers and a tunic. Her boots had also been repaired and covered her feet.

But it was her eyes that startled him the most.

There was something, just something odd in her eyes. She glanced over at Aragorn when she found that she was being inspected and Pippin then saw it, in her eyes. He saw that feeling. That traitorous feeilng!

She was giving Aragorn the 'soft eyes' as Merry would say! A small smile pulled at her lips as she gazed at the rugged man. And what surprised Pippin even more was that Aragorn was doing it back! Something shone in his light blue eyes as he gazed at the woman. That something wasn't there when they were in Edoras. And if it was, Pippin sure never saw it.

A knowing smirk pulled at his lips.

"Are you happy to be back in the city, Mister Aragorn, sir?!" Sam asked timidly which caused the both of them to laugh. Ever since Sam had learned that Aragorn was actually accepting his throne, he had been using formalities with the Ranger again.

"Happy enough. I'm glad to be back but I'm going to miss the freedom of roaming!" He patted the stocky hobbit on the back before the hobbits moved out of the way so that the taller beings could pass through.

The returning members of the group stepped forward and embraced Gandalf. "Oh, Quwen! If I were you, I would certainly visit Toran!" The wizard warned her after stepping back from their warm hug. "He's been awfully moody lately..." Gandalf hid his mouth from view and whispered to her. She just laughed loudly before nodding.

She would indeed have to pay the moody dragon a visit.

* * *

After settling into the city after a week of being inside her walls, Quwen once again was strolling through the streets of the city, simply observing the people around her.

Her hand was rested on the hilt of her sword and a small smile pulled up her lips as she simply strolled about. It was comforting to see everyone at peace inside the city walls.

"Wait! Please! I'll lower the price!" Turning her head in the direction of the loud voice, Quwen watched as a customer turned away from a very familiar blacksmith stall in the market. The dark haired girl from before was hanging halfway out of the stall, begging a man to buy a glimmering sword that lay in her palms.

With a small smirk upon her face, the blonde woman approached the vendor.

"Still can't get people to buy your fake weapons?" She asked in a teasing voice as she leaned against the counter of the stall. The dark haired girl simply glowered at the blonde before straightening up the weapons lying on the soft fur.

"They aren't fake! They are simply a new style of sword!" She protested before she crossed her arms over her chest. Her brother suddenly appeared, completely drenched in sweat as he emerged from the forge with an armful of repaired armor.

"Some men are to come along for their armor. Remember to charge them for the full price. We can't afford to lose anymore money..." He said as he dropped the heavy armor on the side counter. After whipping his brow, he looked up and saw the familiar woman standing beside their stall. "Hello!"

"Good afternoon!" Quwen replied warmly, definately prefering the brother over the sister. She was a bit rude.

"It has been some time since you have come by! I heard that the King was out of the city..."

"And I was with him! That is why I have been gone and haven't had time to browse the marketplace!" Quwen smiled warmly at the thought of her time with the handsome dark haired man. She had enjoyed her time with him, moreso than she would have origionally thought.

And now since the future King was so busy, he hardly had anytime for her and she missed his company.

"I still do not understand why someone like the King would be friendly with you..." The dark haired girl snarled under her breath but Quwen easily heard it. She felt her blood boil and her eyes narrowed on the female.

"_Ariyana_!" Her brother snapped, shoving her shoulder slightly. The dark haired female turned to her brother and shoved him back. "Don't say that to someone of the King's company! She ould have you executed!"

"I don't care anymore!" She said as she crossed her arms over her chest once again. "We're poor and starving! And when your wife has the baby, that will only be another mouth to feed! Death seems so much easier, Roanen!"

Roanen. Ariyana.

"Death is never the answer!" He protested and Quwen could only stand there and stare at the siblings.

"Excuse me..." She finally said after she had found her voice. The two siblings turned to look at her. "Would it be to much to ask you a question or two?"

"We are in the middle of an argument!" The girl snapped. Quwen decided to ask anyway.

"You are siblings right?" The brother bobbed his head in answer. "Twins?"

"Yes."

"And you said you had an older sister who died in a flood?"

"How did you-"

"She told me the last time I came to your stall..." Quwen nodded to the girl at his side. The pieces were falling into place in Quwen's mind. Something familiar. Deciding to continue to pry, she felt her mouth go dry as the next question entered her mind. "And her name?"

"Her name was..." The sister started.

"Quwen." When she heard his answer, her heart stopped beating in her chest. She could feel her eyes suddenly begin to sting with tears, not believing what she had just heard.

"Why does her name matter to you?" The younger girl snapped, her dark eyes narrowing on the female. The blonde woman simply had to turn away to hide her tears and she bit her lip as she gazed down at the stones in the road.

"It matters nothing to me..." She replied quietly after controlling her emotions. Her shoulders shook with a quiet laugh that was caused by an array of emotions. Disbelief and wonder were just a few of the emotions that was running through her system.

"Do you remember when I told you how I had lost my siblings?" Her voice was soft as she faced away from both the siblings. She sat lightly on the edge of their stall, her fingers carefully rubbing the lion head perched on the end of the hilt of her sword.

"Yes." The girl said.

"And how I had never found them and my search for them has never stopped?"

"Yes..."

"Well, I think that I can stop searching..." Tears shimmered in her eyes as she turned to face the two confused Gondorians. They shared a look, not completely understanding what she was saying.

"My name is Quwen. Daughter of Roaner and Arya, a Lady of Rohan..." She bowed her head slightly to show her respect towards the siblings. She saw understanding pass over Roanen's face and then his sister's.

"_Sister_?" Ariyana whispered, her dark eyes wide with shock. It took a moment but her own eyes had begun to water. Quwen carefully nodded her head before shifting her eyes to the man who was simply staring at her.

"This... This cannot be..." Ariyana shook her head, her dark eyes wide. Quwen said nothing else and simply gazed at the twins, taking in all their feautres and carving them into her memory.

Then, without warning, the darker haired woman rushed forward and tightly clamped her arms around the thin Lady Ranger. Quwen immediatley returned the embrace, tears sliding down her tan cheeks.

Ariyana began to sob into her older sister's chest, her tears causing Quwen's tunic front to dampen. Quietly stroaking her hair, Quwen reasurred her sister with in a soft voice, the sweet elvish words also soothing her.

"Roanen?!" Aryiana pulled back after composing herself slightly. They both looked to the stunned man who was still staring at the two of them.

"_Little brother_?" Quwen said quietly, releasing her hold on her little sister to turn to face him. He shook his head uncertainly as if he wasn't believing what he was seeing. "I know that this all seems highly unlikely but-" She didn't have to finish as the dark haired man also stepped forward and scooped her up in his muscular arms.

"I never doubted you wouldn't find us for one second..." He murmered into her ear and she had to smile as she was so tightly hugged by the man who had grown up seemingly overnight. She remembered the day that they had been born, now he was taller than she was.

"I never gave up hope that I would find you, _little brother_..." She told him right back. He carefully placed her bak on the ground, grasping her upper shoulders and simply staring down at the woman who was his older sister. She had grown up so much if his memory served him right. She looked like their late mother who had been so beautiful. She appeared to be the exact replica of Arya.

"How did you ever make it to Gondor?" She asked her dark haired siblings, looking between the pair of them.

"It's a long and messy story..." Ariyana started.

"One that we don't really like to retell..." Roanen finished and Quwen looked between the two of them smiling. They finished each other's sentences before and apparently, they still did it.

"But you will with time?"

"Possibly..." started Roanen.

"You are our sister after all..." Ariyana rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "You have the right to know..."

"Quwen!" Someone called from the crowd of people that was moving throught the market. The blonde woman looked over her shoulder, her hazel eyes searhing the citizens that moved around her. Boromir soon emerged from the people, his height towering over most of them.

"Boromir? What brings you to the market place today?" She called to him, glancing back at her siblings.

"I was sent for you again. Both Gandalf and the King request your presence..." He bowed his head slightly to her. She found his ations to be a bit odd but considering that they were in public, she thought that they were reasonable. She was a Lady after all. His eyes briefly fliked over to the two dark haired people at her side, his eyes lingering longer on Ariyana.

"Who are your friends, Quwen?" The Steward straightened up and came to stand beside the Lady Ranger.

"Do you remember all those weeks ago when we were on the bank of the Anduin and I told you of my lost siblings?" He nodded his head slowly, his eyes still traveling between the two people beside her. "This is my younger brother and sister!" She beamed, happy to be able to say the words for the first time, gesturing to the two dark haired people.

"Your brother and _sister_?" His eyes widened as he looked at the two Northerners. Reaching out, he carefully took Quwen's sister's hand and brought it to his lips with a small grin on his lips.

Gazing up into her dark eyes, Boromir could see the resemblance between the two Northern women. They both had the shame soft face and the same nose. Both their lips were also a natural rosy color. However, the sister had hair as dark as night, unlike Quwen's golden locks he had once ran his hands through. He was not sure whether he liked the dark hair.

"it's a pleasure to meet you..." He paused in his sentence so that he could ask for her name.

"Ariyana..." She purred, her rosy lips turning upward as she smiled at the Steward.

"And I'm Roanen. Their brother..." The dark haired man stepped between the two, causing their interaction to be cut short. Quwen was happy to see that Roanen was still also as protective as he had been in their younger days.

"Oh, such a strong, young man! It's good to have a man in the family..." There was a bit of bitterness in the Steward's tone as Quwen pulled her sister back from the auburn haired man.

"Yes, I've always protect my sisters..." The dark haired man insisted.

"Not all the time dearest brother!" Quwen teased, calling back a few memories of when she had to get her little brother out of fights with the other boys in the village. Boromir and Roanen were facing off, their eyes locked as they battled for dominance.

"Aragorn sent for me...?" She broke into their heated gaze and forced Boromir to look at her directly.

"Indeed. You are requested at the palace..." He bowed his head to her once again, showing his respect for the second time that day. She simply nodded her head before looking back to her siblings.

"You must visit the palace!" Quwen insisted, her hazel eyes sparkling wildly. Today, it appeared as though the sun shown a bit brighter. She had found what remained of her small family.

"With the coronation coming up, I'm sure you'll be able to visit the palace freely..."

"Coronation?" Quwen asked, having not heard the the coronation would be schedualed to occur in the next few months. She had hardly even remembered that Aragorn was to be King.

"Yes, it is to take place on the first of May..."

"The first?! That is only a week away!" Quwen ran through the days in her head, knowing that it was already April 26th.

"And that is why I need you to come help with preparations!" Boromir grabbed her hand and began to pull her away and back to the palace. Pulling her hand out of Boromir's grasp, she looked back to her siblings.

Rushing back to hug them, the twins wrapped her tightly in their arms, happy to have found what little part of their family that they still had. Never before had she been so grateful for family.

She also couldn't believe that all her worry was for nothing. Her brother and sister was safe. The Fellowship was safe. Middle-Earth was safe, for the moment at least. She could finally settle down.

"We will speak again soon..." Roanen promised his sister as she quickly placed a kiss on both her siblings' foreheads.

"Ineed."

"Farewell, _sister_!" Ariyana gave her one last squeeze before releasing the hold on her older sister. Quwen smiled back at her darker haired siblings before turning back to the Steward.

"It was a pleasure to meet you my Lord, Boromir!" Ariyana called after the two of them. The auburn haired man simply looked back over his shoulder as they began to walk through the crowd of people.

"The pleasure is all mine, my Lady!" He called right back, a rather wide smile on his face. Shiting her eyes to her sister, she saw a light blush dust her cheeks.

However, Quwen didn't really like the look upon Boromir's face. It was an odd look for him. The only time she had ever seen it was when he had looked at her in the cave and on the bank of the Anduin.

Looking between the two of them, a small smile pulled at her lips. Quwen knew what that look was. She was still unsure if it was good or bad but she was sure that it meant happiness for both Boromir and her sister.

* * *

**Shorter chapter this time. Next chapter will probably be Coronation and a few other things! *wink wink* It should be very eventful!**

**I'm really struggling to finish this story. There will probably be only a few more chapters and then that will be it. There might be... two more? Three?**

**I'm not sure but I'm still having a lot of issues finishing! Urgh! ****I might need help from people just FYI. Anyway, I'm not sure who's winning the Hobbit vote. Probably Thorin. **

**You can still vote but I'm too lazy to count them up at the moment. **

**Anyway, review. Love you guys.**

**Love,**

**Blue**


	20. Chapter 20

**Third Person's POV**

The air positively buzzed with excitement. It seemed as though the atmosphere was the same as it had been during Rohan's coronation for Éomer.

Quwen was once again preparing the palace grounds for coronation as well. Her and the rest of the Fellowship had been helping to clean up the huge castle halls and preparing the rooms for guests which had been arriving for weeks.

Of course, the Fellowship did not have to do some much cleaning due to the fact of the huge amount of staff in Minas Tirith's halls. However, Quwen found that most of her time was spent doing other things.

"You are coming to the coronation aren't you?"

"Of course! And I can't believe that it is already tomorrow!"

"I know, my nerves are getting the best of me... Roanen is coming with you? Is he not?"

"I don't think our fine brother could turn down the offer!"

"What about Tanya?"

"She will come along as well..."

"But what of the baby?"

"Hopefully the excitement around her won't cause her to go into labor!" The two women sat polishing armor in the back of the blacksmith stand. Their tall brother stood at the front, selling his new weapons left and right. Aragorn had ordered a dozen of new weapons from Roanen, supplying their family with money and bringing more business to their small shop. Now that the king had ordered some of the odd steel, everyone wanted it.

In all her free time, Quwen had visited her newly found brother and sister. She even came to learn that she was to be an aunt in only a few days or so. Her little brother had been busy and upon reaching Gondor with their sister, he settled down when he first became of age and quickly found a woman. His wife was expecting and when Quwen had just met her, she was very proud of her younger brother.

Tanya was a very pretty girl with her long, chocolate locks and her sparkling green eyes. She was also very kind and sweet. Quwen definitely approved of her brother's choice in women. And she was very, very pregnant with their first child. Quwen was ecstatic and nearly bursting with joy.

"You have a dress to wear, do you not?" The blonde woman asked her sister as she picked up a helmet and began to polish it. The younger sister suddenly became quiet and Quwen looked up. Her eyes were downcast as she was concentrated on getting her work done. "Ana?"

"I do not..." Quwen was taken off guard by her answer. Despite the fact that Quwen hated dresses, she had an abundance of the blasted things in her wardrobe.

"You may have one of mine... or all of them if you wish!" Quwen told the younger girl who simply smiled.

"I cannot take one of your gowns..."

"I insist! You are my little sister and I have to take care of you! Come early to the palace early tomorrow and I will help you prepare for the coronation..." Leaving the now polished helmet on the bench where they were sitting, Quwen stood to leave, not letting her younger sister protest any longer.

"Where are you going?"

"I am going for a ride..." Was all that Quwen said before she continued to stride away, off to the stables to give Del a chance to stretch his legs.

* * *

As she trotted down to the front gates, Quwen felt her mood lift almost immediately. The people of Minas Tirith were very friendly and recognized her almost immediately as the lone woman of the Fellowship. They waved and greeted her like she was one of them before she moved on toward the large gates that were currently under construction.

Aragorn was patrolling around the city with Boromir and Faramir, making sure that the white walls of Minas Tirith were being repaired. Éomer also rode alongside them, finding nothing better to do than to waste his time in the city. All four of them calmly watched as the walls were reconstructed, simply perched atop a high hill so they would see everything below them.

A bright flash of color contrasted against the pale grass. It quickly disappeared behind a smaller hill and it seemed to catch the attention of all the men yet they said nothing of it.

Upon narrowing his eyes, Aragorn could clearly see just exactly what caused them such distraction.

Quwen raced from the front gate, her long hair blowing out behind her as Del's hooves pounding across the ground, quickly carrying her away from the White City. They all watched as she easily moved across the flat landscape upon her steed.

Just when they got almost out of sight, she stopped and Del reared up before racing back towards the city and then running about in erratic patterns. After a few minutes of watching, Quwen pulled Del to a stop and she simply fell forward onto his neck in an odd embrace.

Patting his strong neck, Quwen closed her eyes momentarily and simply breathed his scent in. Sure, he smelled like horse but she had always thought he smelled different than other horses did. She could easily say that she loved him.

Sitting up, she then took hold of his reigns again before spurring him forward and laughing as they raced back towards the city.

"Is she adjusting well to the city life?" Éomer leaned forward on Firefoot so that he could see the dark haired man who was riding between the two red heads.

"I believe that she will miss the wild life but I think that she will come to love the White City... I asked her to stay with me you know..."

"That's all you asked her?" Boromir raised his eyebrows suggestively and the others laughed while Aragorn's own lips twitched up. He simply urged Brego forward a few steps to hide his warm cheeks. "Have you ever considered marriage?" The Ranger was stunned by the question but nonetheless answered.

"Of course!"

"Then you may want to get a jump on that before something else terrible happens..."

"I will... Consider it..." The dark haired man replied quietly as he watched Quwen swiftly re-enter the gates and she completely disappeared from sight.

* * *

Standing behind her younger sister who was seated on the bench before her vanity, Quwen carefully braided her sister's hair back into an elegant bun. Letting a few of her dark ringlets fall to the side, Quwen had to admit that she looked like herself with the hair pulled back from her face. They had the same nose and lips while her eyes were the only difference. Ariyana was dressed in a beautiful maroon colored dress that was snug around her small waist and accentuated her curves.

Quwen herself was tied tightly into a flowing silver dress that drug on the ground as she walked. Her light golden hair looked like spun gold as it hung in perfect waves down her back with the front of her bangs braided back to keep her eyes free from the pesky strands.

There was a quiet knock on the door.

"One moment!" Quwen called as she tucked the final strand of Ana's dark hair into place. Leaving her finished work, Quwen strode across the room, the heat from the fireplace warmed her bare feet before she came to stand before the door. Stepping into the boots beside the door, Quwen placed her hand upon the cold handle. Carefully turning it, she pulled the thick door back to reveal Boromir and Legolas.

"Good morning, my Lords..." She bowed her head slightly, recalling the fact that both of them were of higher lineage than she was.

"Good morning, Quwen!" It was Boromir who spoke first which surprised her. "Your sister is here, is she not?" He tried to peak his head around the doorway to see inside the large room but the woman frowned.

"Yes, Ariyana is in my chambers. You may come inside if you wish..." She opened the door further to let the man enter and he quickly brushed passed her to go converse with the other woman in the room, leaving Quwen alone with Legolas. She quietly stepped outside, leaving the two alone together and also giving her time to speak with her elvish friend.

"How is he?" She asked in a hushed tone, letting the door click shut.

"He is nervous..."

"Well, of course he is! It is not everyday that a man becomes King! I myself have a terrible case of butterflies in my stomach..." She placed a hand over the aforementioned part of her body and shut her eyes for a moment.

"May I say that you don't look nervous. You look rather stunning..." He offered her kind words and she merely smiled at him.

"You don't look all that ghastly yourself... for an elf." She teased him and he simply smiled in reply as well. Holding his arm out to her, Quwen accepted it, the velvet covering his arms soft against her palm. He was about to head off down the hall when she suddenly pulled him back and rapped her knuckles against the wood of her own door.

"Yes?" Boromir's friendly face appeared in the opening and Quwen frowned at him. It seemed as though he were claiming her room for himself.

"We are leaving..."

"Yes, of course!" Boromir opened the door more fully, showing Quwen's younger sister who now had her own shoes on and was prepared to leave. "We must be off or I fear we will be late!" He took Ariyana's arm before stepping passed the elf and his escort and taking off down the hallway. He had a set of armor with the Tree of Gondor emblazoned on the front.

Exchanging a grin with Legolas, Quwen bunched her long dress up in her hands before taking off down the hall with Legolas right behind her.

It was only a matter of minutes before the four of them arrived out in the front courtyard. Many people had already begun to gather and the two women had a problem locating their brother and his wife. Eventually, they found him trying to get into the coronation but he had been stopped by the guards when he said that he had met the King. Of course, when Quwen explained to them that he was her brother, they let him right in, along with his very pregnant wife.

Coming to stand beside both Boromir and Faramir, Quwen exchanged a smile with the younger of the two, and, leaving her sister in Boromir's care, she turned back to face forward.

The scene was rather magical at that. The warm breeze blew into the courtyard, the changing winds causing the banners to stir like the calm before a storm. The bright sun shone down upon them, its warmth causing Quwen to smile. It was promising that it was to be a good day. To think, Quwen would have never believed that she would be there in that moment.

Before, Quwen would have never believed that she would be in love with a man as much as she was now.

Flowers decorated the courtyard as well. A wreath of white flowers encircled the double doors that led out of the grand hall before them. Their scent was sweet and only added to the fuzzy, fantasy feeling that settled on the courtyard. The Minas Tirith guard was lined up, leaving an aisle for the great King to walk down once he was coronated.

And as if the very Prince walked out of the fairytale, the large wooden doors opened, revealing the hall momentarily. However, the three people standing inside stepped forward and the doors were once again closed.

His dark hair blowed in the warm breeze, however his face was hidden from Quwen's view as a banner blew in the way which only frustrated her. This did not reassure Quwen in the slightest. She wanted to know that he was happy with his decision. She wanted to know if he felt he was making the right choice.

Kneeling down before the man dressed in white, Gandalf also beamed down at the Ranger before motioning Gimli forward who had Aragorn's crown on a pillow in his hands.

Slowly lowering the shimmering silver crown onto the dark head of hair, Quwen held her breath. Once it was in place, a grin broke out across her lips and she found that she couldn't take her eyes away from the scene. It was almost as if she were in a dream. It was too perfect.

"Now come the days of the King!" Gandalf's voice rang clearly as it echoed off the smooth walls of the palace. The wizard dropped his hands, a small smile on his lips. He mumbled a few other quiet words before Aragorn slowly rose from his kneeling position. She could see his shoulders rise and fall as he let out a deep breath before he placed his hand on Andúril before turning, his long velvet cape sweeping out behind him.

Quwen felt her breath catch in her throat as she felt a large grin sweep across her lips and she clasped her hands together as tears caused her eyes to shimmer. A wave of clapter passed over the crowd of people. However, Quwen could not find it in herself to clap. Her eyes were frozen on the grand King before her.

After a moment, the clapter died down.

"This day does not belong to one man but to all. Let us together rebuild this world in the days that we may share in peace..." He spoke so clearly and elegantly that none would have mistaken him for a simple Ranger. Another round of applause broke out across the people who had gathered but Quwen only continued to stare. It wasn't until something carefully brushed her golden hair that she tore her eyes away from the King.

Soft white petals had begun to rain down from the sky and some of them carefully landed in her hair and in the soft velvet of her dress.

"_Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta_!" The words to his song cause her attention to be drawn back to him as he quietly sang Elessar's Oath. She smiled once more. He had a wonderfully deep, singing voice and she had only heard it once and that was when she was drifting off into sleep.

The King finished his song and silently descended the stairs and began to walk among his people. They all bowed as he walked passed but it appeared as though his eyes were searching for another. Before she knew what was happening, Boromir and Faramir forced Quwen behind the two of them, blocking her from view. She was about to protest and explain that she wished to view the rest of the coronation but Boromir cut her off as he placed a finger over his lips to silence her.

Quwen could see ahead of her and watched as Legolas walked forward with the group of Mirkwood elves who had come to attend the grand occasion. He was to represent his father who did not feel it was necessary to attend the coronation. They quietly exchanged a few words in elvish before they embraced one another.

As if by some magic or simply the slyness of elves, Aragorn's eyes suddenly seemed to find her hidden behind the Gondorian brothers. Carefully pushing his elvish friend to the side, the King stepped forward. A wave of panic began to sweep through her heart as the two brothers began to step to the side. She didn't wish for him to see her. Not yet.

Dropping her eyes to the ground, she folded her hands before her. Some of her hair also fell into her face from her shoulder and she was glad that it hid her.

However, she wasn't expecting the soft fingers to cup her chin and raise her face up so that he could see her. Those very same fingers also swept the thick golden hair behind her ear. He almost looked in awe as his blue eyes gazed over her soft features before they met her hazel eyes.

"_Why do you hide your face_?" He asked quietly, her ears missing his voice as she hadn't seen him for an entire two days.

"_I hide my face because I fear that I am not beautiful enough for you_..." He almost seemed hurt by her words and his brows wrinkled in confusion and frustration. "_You are a King and I am... no one_."

"_Blood does not determine beauty and blood does not determine my love for you_..." He said quietly before smiling. Quwen felt her eyes beginning to shimmer once again with tears and she shut them. Relief filled her entire being as she felt his acceptance taking hold of her heart. He was accepting her. Loving her for what she was. Aragorn carefully wiped her tears away. "Breeze..." He said quietly, causing her eyes to flutter open once more. A watery smile pulled back her lips.

"If it weren't for hundreds of people watching us, I would kiss you right now..." He smiled at her own words.

"Let them watch..." He whispered back to her before he lowered his lips onto hers. Quwen could not hear the quiet, startled gasp come from the crowd of people. She simply let her hands cup his rough cheeks, carefully stroking his dark beard. It also brought a warm feeling to her stomach when she realized that Aragorn and her's relationship had become public at his coronation.

After a few moments, they slowly broke apart, both of them beaming like mad. Quietly holding his hand out, Quwen only looked down at it for a moment before taking a hold of it. He began leading her through the crowd of people, stopping every so often to greet a few select quests that were of importance. However, Quwen could feel the attention on her. People had to be wondering who this random woman was that the King had selected from the crowd and kissed.

Who was she and why was she _so_ special?

Coming to stand before a familiar group of four, the hobbits gazed up at the taller beings before them. They all suddenly bowed their heads, catching the King in a moment of stunned silence.

"My friends..." He slowly began, stepping forward and pulling Quwen with him. They looked up from their bowed position. "You bow to no one..." The King then kneeled down, taking Quwen with him. The rest of the gathered people followed until everyone was bowing down to the group of four hobbits who simply stood there, stunned.

When Quwen raised her eyes from the bowed position, she saw Pippin and Merry smiling widely at her. Happy for the fact that Aragorn basically told the entire city that he loved her by his simple gesutre from before.

The King swiftly and easily moved onto the next item at hand by leading Quwen back towards the palace. The doors to the grand hall were soon opened, revealing the long tables that had been set for the feast to follow the coronation.

Aragorn led Quwen into the hall first, having her take a seat beside him towards the head of the table. The rest of the royalty followed soon behind them and took their own seats. In a matter of moments, the feasting began. People drank merrily and both the Rangers enjoyed watching them sway in their drunken nature as they mingled together.

As the night continued to grow older, the large tables were pushed back against the walls to reveal more room for the dancing that would surely ensue. Another doorway was opened off to the side of the hall and the gardens were opened to allow for even more room.

The musicians that were hired for the dance also moved outside and had taken up their own place. Aragorn had removed his long cape and armor, along with his legendary sword. He had taken to dancing and of course, as the King, he got to have the first dance. Without a second thought, Aragorn held his hand out to the woman who had been quietly watching at his side and her cheeks suddenly flushed.

"In front of all these people?" She whispered as her eyes darted back and forth as she began to panic.

"You trust me, do you not?" Once again, she looked at his hand that was being held down to her. Letting her eyes flicker back up to his own, she decided to swallow her fear and take a hold of his rough palm. Of course she trusted him. She was the man that she trusted the most. He was the man that she cared about the most.

"Of course."

After leading her outside and into the cool night air, he faced her before bowing slightly. She returned the gesture with a slightly awkward curtsy before Aragorn stepped closer to her and brought her into his arms. Placing his hand on her hip, she also placed her hand on her shoulder before they slowly began to sway back and forth. Other couples soon followed their lead and began to dance beneath the canopy that was draped over the garden, creating a gazebo effect.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" He said quietly as his grip on her tightened.

"I believe so. Five times." She beamed before leaning forward and placing a swift peck on his lips before letting her head fall onto his shoulder.

"That's not enough..." He said quietly, his nose carefully nuzzling her ear. He shifted his grip on her so that both of his hands now rest on her lower back and her own arms were draped around his neck in a lazy embrace. "It will never be enough..." Quwen couldn't help but smile to herself as they continued to dance until a man came up and tapped on Aragorn's shoulder.

Quwen beamed upon seeing who the intruder was. Reluctantly, Aragorn released his hold on her and stepped back, letting the King of Rohan take hold of the Lady of the North.

It was also at this time that the musicians seemed as though the night wasn't going as rapidly as they had hopped and they began to play a faster tune. Immediately, Éomer picked up on the tempo and began to twirl her around at a very rapid pace. The laughter seemed to erupt from Quwen as the Horse Lord continued to lead her in between the other couples who were now cheery as well.

Her eyes somehow found Aragorn in the crowd and as she turned with Éomer, she felt concern begin to build in her stomach.

Aragorn was standing off to the side, watching her parade around with her friend but that wasn't what worried her. It was the lovely female elf to his side that caused her worry. Legolas was also standing beside the fair maiden. Her hand was looped through his arm which helped Quwen relax a little but she also felt worried about the large smile on Aragorn's face, along with the warm feeling in his eyes.

* * *

Breathlessly, the blonde woman spun away from her Horse Lord friend, beginning to walk over to Aragorn and the two elves but was stopped when the dark haired man himself stepped forward.

She beamed as the man carefully took her upper arms into his hands and began to lead her back inside to find something to drink.

"You seem to be having a grand time!" He said as she took a hold of his hand.

"Indeed... But, I couldn't help but wonder who you and Legolas were talking you... She seems very familiar..." Aragorn simply smiled at her words, sensing the jealousy behind them. He loved seeing her jealous.

"She is simply an old friend. You have nothing to fear..."

"Where is she from?" Quwen continued to look back behind them, very aware that she had seen that lovely face somewhere. She had seen her face sometime in her life but she couldn't place where. It was all very infuriating.

"She is from Lothlórien..."

"Oh, so she is a friend?"

"A very, very long time friend. She knew me when I was younger... She offered me wonderful advice..." Quwen was silent for a moment as she looked back at the two elves chatting together.

"She knows Legolas?" Aragorn simply laughed at her question.

"Yes, she definitely _knows_ Leolgas but I fear that is a story for another time..." He beamed down at her before placing a quick kiss on her forehead and bringing her closer to him once again.

"Quwen!" The blonde woman looked when her name was called, only to see her sister approaching with her brother and wife in tow. At seeing her small family, Quwen smiled at her siblings before taking a small step back from Aragorn.

"Aragorn, I don't think I've introduced you to my brother's wife, Tanya..." Gesturing to the pregnant woman, she smiled brightly, one hand on her round stomach, the other linked through her husband's arm.

"It is wonderful to meet you, Tanya..." Aragorn bowed his head slightly.

"No, the pleasure is all mine, my Lord!" She also bowed slightly before straightening up with the help of Roanen. Quwen simply smiled at the couple, thinking them to be rather cute together.

"I see Quwen is to be an aunt. When are you due?" Aragorn looked to the blonde woman at his side with interest before another person called her name.

"Quwen!" Or rather, it wasn't entirely a person. Coming lumbering into the hall was the large brown dragon that Quwen was rather fond of. "My flame!" And it was at this time that all three of her family members froze with fear, the blonde woman simply smiling at the beast. However, before she could utter a word to him, a cry sounded from behind her.

Both the Rangers directed their gaze back to the pregnant woman who was clutching at her stomach.

"With all do respect, my Lord. I think I'm due now!" Another wail came from her mouth as she began to go into labor. Quwen could only guess what caused Tanya to go into labor.

"Oh, Toran..." She muttered before letting her head fall into her hands.

"What is happening?" He asked, completely oblivious to the fact that his mere presence was what caused her to start her delivery.

"We need a midwife!" Roanen shouted, his wife grasping tightly to his hand as she held herself up. He looked panickedly to his sister before his eyes then darted to Aragorn. However, Aragorn looked back to Quwen silently asking if she knew where the midwife was.

"She is a midwife! I did not assume that she would be needed considering no one is pregnant!" Quwen began to panic as people began to get frustrated with her. She wasn't entirely sure what to do. People had began to gather around to see what was happening, all of them simply standing around, looking from the pregnant woman to the dragon who was still very confused about the occurrences.

"Does anyone here know how to deliver a child?" The room was absolutely silent as the grave when Aragorn asked this. Quwen felt her shoulders begin to drop as she realized that no one was going to answer the King's call.

"I... I know how to deliver a baby..." Quwen said quietly after awhile, the bridge between her nose pinched between her fingers. It was true for she had been a young midwife when she had stayed in a smaller village at the base of the Western part of the Misty Mountains. She had been young, very young. She had only been gone from the North for a few years.

Aragorn's head snapped to look at her and she slowly nodded.

"Alright..." He simply looked at her with his wide blue eyes before he stepped back slightly, allowing her for more room.

"Roanen, help me get her to the healer's chambers! Aragron, please gather any female staff and send them to the chambers!" Quwen began to direct and point people around, surprisingly remaining calm as she ordered the people around. "Toran!" She finally pointed at the dragon who seemed simply startled at all the odd occurrences. "Toran... Just, stay." She said calmly before racing after her brother and his wife.

The large dragon simply huffed before folding his taloned paws across one another before resting his chin upon them.

Upon reaching the chambers, Quwen and the help provided threw the doors open and ushered the pregnant woman inside where a few other women began to push a few cots together to form a larger bed where she could deliver.

Aragorn, out of breath, jogged into the room, his brow slightly damp with sweat as his eyes searched for Quwen. He saw her frantically preparing for the birth of her niece or nephew, her shoulders rigid with worry as she continued to give people directions as to what had to be done. Her hair was tightly tied back to get ride of any distractions and sweat was coating her own brow. The sleeves of her dress were pushed up and she simply had a younger girl following her around, carrying the extra fabric of her long dress in her arms, making sure that Quwen did not trip.

Once Tanya was seated on the bed, Quwen held her hands up and the noise in the room ceased.

"All the men who provided help must leave. Roanen, you may stay if you wish, but the others need to leave!" She said and her hazel eyes calmly met Aragorn's. For a moment, he saw slight exhaustion inside the dark pools before it vanished and he knew that he must leave. Roanen remained by his wife's side but the other men quickly filed out. Quwen returned to close the large wooden doors, sending Aragorn a reassuring look before sealing the room completely.

* * *

Aragorn finally found her a few hours later, standing out on a small garden balcony that was bathed in the moonlight. She was standing beneath a flowering arch that was covered in many different types of flowers. By the way her shoulders were slumped, he could tell she was exhausted. Her dress from before had been soiled by blood so she had to change but the new dress was still magnificent. The blue fabric seemed to turn silver in the moonlight.

Her back was to him and he quietly snuck up behind her before placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Aragorn..." She breathed when she turned to him, relief flooding into her hazel pools. Turning into his arms, he accepted her without another thought and simply held her close to him.

"The baby?" He asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence. He could feel her eyelashes flutter shut against his tunic and he placed his cheek atop her soft hair that had since been pulled back while she delivered her brother's baby.

"I have a niece..." She smiled slightly as her fingers found the familiar charm as it always had when they embraced.

"And Tanya?"

"She is tired but resting and will soon be strong again. I've never seen Roanen so happy when he first held his little girl..." She continued to smile despite the cold air around them. Aragorn tightened his arms around her as he felt a shiver pass through her smaller frame. However, he had a pressing issue to address, something he should have done... awhile ago, possibly before she was carried off by a dragon and held captive by Sauron himself.

"Quwen..." Her eyes remained closed as her head rested on his chest. "Breeze..." He always knew that using her Ranger name would draw open her eyes. He was the only one who still called her by that name and she knew that it was an endearment directed towards her. Sometimes, she would still refer to him as Strider and they would revert back to their old ways for an afternoon.

She pulled her head back to look at him, her hands splayed on his chest. "Yes, Aragorn?"

"I am glad that you are here with me..."

"As am I."

"I love you." It came out slightly rushed but she simply blinked once, seeming unfazed by the three simply words.

"I love you, too." Slowly dipping his head, he allowed his lips to press carefully against hers while his other hand came up to cup the soft skin of her cheek. Leaning into his touch, the two continued to move their lips together until he pulled away with much reluctance. He took her hands into his own and kissed her knuckles.

"And do you know why I love you?" He asked quietly.

"I honestly don't have a single idea as to why you do..." She replied a bit sarcastically and he rolled his eyes before running his thumb across her cheek and down her jaw.

"I love you because you are simple but complex at the same time. You care so deeply for others but hardly leave time for yourself. You are as tame but wild as the horses that roam the plains of Rohan. You fear nothing and befriend all. I love the way your nose wrinkles when you laugh and smile..." He carefully kissed the tip of her nose at this point. "You see passed the Ranger side of me and see me for who I truly am and I love that about you. And the grander image is that you love me back and that is what makes me the happiest man to walk Middle Earth. However, there is one thing that would make me even happier..." Quwen froze as she watched her dark haired Ranger drop down onto one knee with her hands in his. Her heart froze in her chest and she opened her mouth to let out a frightened squeak.

"Aragorn...?" She questioned him, unsure of what he was doing yet she had this terrible inkling fluttering around her mind.

"I know that I should have done this much sooner but I feared that you would run if I asked..." Her lips turned up into a shaky smile and his fingers started to nervously play with her own.

"Run?"

"Surely you would have climbed on your fiery horse and ran as soon as I had asked you..." Quwen just stared down at him, her own heart wildly beating in her chest. "But you see there is only one thing that could make me even happier..." He released her hands momentarily before his own came together and she watched as he began to work the intricate emerald ring from his finger. "It would make me even happier if I could have the honor as having you as my Queen and my wife..."

Time seemed to stop for a moment. Her heart all together froze. She couldn't breath or move. She couldn't even blink. However, one word managed to slip passed her lips, simply as it was, although, one could easily mistaken it for a simple squeak of fear.

"Yes." And the next thing she knew, the warm metal of his ring settled upon her finger before she was scooped up into his strong arms and his lips passionately met her own. So full of love, so full of happiness. So full of promise for a greater tomorrow. And she now knew that she would indeed be part of Aragorn's future. And she simply could not wait.

* * *

**I hate myself for making you guys wait but I finally got it done! I honestly wrote this in about... three days. One day, I seriously wrote about four thousands words but I just couldn't find fillers to put in the gaps.**

**Anyway, what did you think? Was it romantic enough? What did you think of Toran's entrance? I found that scene quite humorous. If you think about it, it's seriously funny.**

**Tanya went into labor because Toran pretty much scared her shitless. Haha.**

**Anyway, thanks to all who reviewed and I promise that I'll finish this story! No matter what!**

**Again, I can't thank you guys enough for all that you've done but you know what would be really awesome? (If we got to 200 reviews!) But since we only have two chapters left, that's a bit of a stretch...**

**Anyway, love you guys and review!**

**Love,**

**Blue**


	21. Chapter 21

**Third Person's POV**

"You are the sweetest thing to ever walk this Earth, aren't you little Rowena?" Quwen smiled down at her niece as she took her little fists into her larger hands. The baby simply smiled and gurgled some soft, unintelligible words. Oh, Quwen had taken a liking to the precious baby.

Tanya observed her husband's sister as she cooed down to her now four month old child. The woman had taken to stopping by their small home most every day to check up on the baby. Of course, the young mother hardly minded her hanging about, due to the fact that she was a first time mother and wasn't entirely sure as to what to do.

Quwen had definitely proved to be a wonderful asset to their family and little Rowena had yet to catch any sort of sickness. Not even the common cold! She was a blessing in disguise!

Suddenly the dark haired baby let out a shrill squeak before stuffing her fat little hands into her mouth while beaming up at her aunt. Quwen smiled and laughed, all the while admiring the wonderful child. She had green eyes like her mother but the way she laughed and her nose crinkled, that was from Roanen's side of the family. It was a trait that both Quwen and Roanen had.

Ariyana lacked it.

"She's starting to get very talkative!" Tanya looked up from her work of cutting up some onions for the soup she was preparing. Her husband was hard at work, trying his best to keep up with the rush of orders he had been getting lately. Word had gotten out of what a grand blacksmith he was. Now, the business never seemed to cease. Left and right, people demanded their armor be polished. Their swords sharpened. Or, if the need called for it, new blades entirely.

"Well, she's certainly come to recognize your face! If we're not careful, the first word she utters will be 'Quwen'!"

"That wouldn't be completely horrible!" The blonde woman let the baby take hold of her pointer finger while waggling it around a bit to keep the child preoccupied. The child stuck it into her little mouth and began nibbling on it. "But enough with the baby! How are you feeling?"

"I feel almost completely normal except for some morning sickness..."

"Very good! But, the morning sickness should be gone by now...?"

"But it isn't!?"

"Then you know what that means! You most certainly don't need a healer like me to tell you!" Quwen smiled and looked back at the other woman. She was going to be an aunt, again! Quwen then looked back to the baby and the three of them grew silent, save for the sound of Tanya cutting and the boiling of the stew over the fire.

"You're wedding is tomorrow..." The Lady of the North nearly chocked on her own tongue as her head snapped up to look at the brown haired woman. Quwen swallowed thickly, the nerves in her stomach causing it to churn painfully.

"It is..." The woman had nearly forgotten the date entirely. For the past few months, Quwen had been simply milling about the city while helping Aragorn to settle into his new title as King. It most certainly was a task deemed tedious yet she still helped him when he asked for it.

The last months had also been... cushy. Life was simpler in the walls of Minas Tirith. There was certainly a variety of wonderful food to chose from. She didn't have to cook at all. The clothing was elegant but comfortable to wear. Her bed in the castle was the most wonderful she had ever felt which resulted in her waking up in the later hours of the morning, a content smile on her face. Not once had she received a bad night of sleeping.

Hardly any of the wedding preparations had been placed upon herself and the ladies of the castle were supposedly doing all the work. The flowers. The guest list. The food. Decorations. Lodging for the guests. Everything was taken care of so that none of the stress was placed upon the Lady's shoulders. And she appreciated it greatly.

Quwen had only shown up for one certain event. Her dress fitting.

"Aren't you excited?" Tanya stopped her cutting and looked up at the seemingly silent Lady. The blonde stood frozen stiff as her gaze fell back onto the warm bundle laying in the basket before her.

"I'm exuberant..." Her tone did not imply her feelings and Tanya sighed.

"Quwen, surely you must be excited to be marrying Aragorn! He is a King after all!"

"Aragorn being King has nothing to do with my excitement... If anything, it only adds to my worry..." Quwen's brow was furrowed as she picked the baby up out of the basket and brought her into her arms.

"You worry because of the responsibility it entails?"

"I worry because I fear that people will frown upon my humble background and it will affect Aragorn's reign..."

"I'm sure you have nothing to fear!"

"I can only hope so..." She bounced the babbling baby in her arms all the while, the warmth form the infant the only comfort offered at the moment despite Tanya's attempts to make her feel better.

* * *

With a quiet creek, Quwen peaked through the crack created by her door and the threshold. It was silent out in the darkened hallway, giving her the confidence to open the heavy door further but she cursed herself when it groaned on its hinges.

Her shoulders hunched at the noise and she held her breath, waiting for a response to the sound that seemed to echo throughout the entire palace. Once it was completely silent again, she let herself breath once more before stepping out into the hallway, pulling the saddlebags along with her.

Tugging on her black cloak to make sure that it was in place, she closed the door behind her, almost growling when it groaned again. Slinging the bags over her shoulder, she silently padded down the hall, thankful for all the years she had spent hunting animals in the Wilds.

Clutching Manadhon at her side, she rounded a corner and nearly screamed when she noticed a few servants walking down the hall, still preparing for tomorrow's festivities.

Ducking back behind the corner, she hid until they had passed. She had waited to move until it was late into the night in hopes of finding the staff to be asleep. Apparently, the staff never slept.

Cursing quietly under her breath, she sprinted down the hall as silently as she could, some of the supplies in the saddlebags jingling around. Being noiseless was usually her forte but it appeared that it wouldn't be on this night.

Coming to a stop behind another corner, she held her breath and listened for voices. It was in her luck when she found that none were to be heard and she continued on her way, letting her feet take her to the familiar courtyard.

Peeking around the corner and out into the moonlight, she breathed a sigh of relief that none of the tower guards were out and about. Luckily, Aragorn had given them the night off so that they would be well rested for the festivities that would proceed into the next late night and early morning.

Hauling her cloak's hood up around her ears, she stepped out into the moonlight and raced across the courtyard, the unfamiliar weight of the lion pendant upon her neck causing her mind to wander for a moment. There was also the bareness on her finger that worried her.

As was Dúnedain tradition, the couple to be wed would exchange keepsakes at the wedding ceremony as a sign of their union. However, Quwen had no other keepsake that meant anything special to her, other than her father's sword and there was nothing in Middle Earth that would make her give that away, so she reclaimed her necklace, assuring Aragorn that he would eventually get it back. In return, he took his ring from her very hand. At first, Quwen had been horrified by the action, thinking that he simply meant that the engagement was to be called off. However, with the reassurance of gentle kisses and soft words, she was happy to know that he still wished to marry her.

Upon reaching the stables, she crept inside. The only sound present was that of the breathing of the steeds in their stalls. Silently moving down the long walkway through the center of the horse stalls, she easily found Delgaranor's spotted fur, who had his head bowed slightly as he slept standing up.

"Del!" She hissed from outside his stall as she began to gather his saddle and bridle from the tack room. She heard a quiet whinny and watched as Del's head slowly rose above the side of the stall.

He looked at her with bleary eyes and she threw his saddle blanket across his back. He nickered and she rose her fingers to her lips to silence him. Putting his saddle on his back, she tightened the girth strap before carefully slapping his side in an attempt to get him to suck his stomach in so that the saddle was properly tightened.

Also offering the bit to him, Del took it into his mouth and she carefully poked his ears through the leather straps before the bridle settled across his long face. Tying her saddlebags into place, Quwen quickly stepped up into the stirrup and situated herself upon her steed.

Directing him out of the silent stables, a few horses woke and whinnied in their direction as they passed. She, of course, bit her lip and tried to quiet the steeds with promises of food if they remained silent until her return. Except, she didn't plan on returning.

They trotted out into the moonlight, Del's hooves clacking on the stone. Quwen quietly cursed him, wishing his hooves would be silent instead of as loud as a heard of cattle.

Just as she was about to exit the large stone courtyard, she only saw the large shadow pass over her before she heard the flapping of wings. And before she knew it, she was pulled out of the saddle by a large set of talons that wrapped entirely around her body.

"TORAN!" She shrieked, the dragon catching her off guard. Now, she did not care if anyone heard her. She would certainly want to scream at the dragon and deal with the questions later instead of being abducted by her old friend. "PUT ME DOWN!"

"I don't think I can do that!" The dragon rumbled with laughter as he continued to soar upward. Hearing a whinny, Quwen looked back down to see that Del still stood beneath her, looking very confused.

"Del! Don't move!" Quwen could only clutch onto the talons encasing her. She had only ever ridden upon his back and it was odd watching her horse get smaller the further they got away.

The brown dragon continued to soar upward until they reached the highest peak above Minas Tirith which had been designated as Toran's home and his watchtower. A few feet above the ground, he released her from his grip and she dropped to the rocky surface, a wave of pain radiating up her shins. She hissed quietly while rubbing the appendages and watched as Toran came to land in his large nest behind her.

"Why were you out so late?" She snarled at the large beast who simply blinked down at her. He had his large paws crossed over one another and he situated himself so that he was more comfortable. Surely he would only bring terror to any villager awake so late in the night. Quwen didn't want another recurrence like she had with Tanya.

"I could ask you the same thing, little flame!" He blew a cloud of smoke in her direction and she swatted it away in annoyance. "It seems as if someone is having second thoughts above marriage..." Quwen froze in place, not daring to breath. Looking up into the green eyes of the dragon, she sighed before walking towards him. Using his scales as a sort of ladder, she pulled herself onto his back. Sitting on his strong shoulder blades, she pulled her knees up to her chest.

"It seems that way because I'm afraid it's true, Toran..." Her voice was nothing but a whisper. She just sighed again, her hand reaching down to stroke one of the warm scales.

"You don't love Aragorn?"

"Of course I love Aragorn!" She defended herself. She wouldn't have said yes to his proposal if she had not loved him! Toran was a daft dragon.

"Why?"

"Well... I love him because he is everything I've ever wanted in a man! I love him because he saved me from the darkness. He brought back what little humanity remained in me!"

"He forced you into this life?"

"Of course not!" She lightly smacked his scales. "I became the way I am today because of him. I became this way because I love him and want to be with him forever! I love him because he loves... me..." The words tumbled from her lips before she realized she was saying.

Stopping, her hazel eyes were wide. How could she ever even think about _leaving_? If she loved this man so deeply then why was she so scared of being bonded to him for the rest of her life? Would it really be all that terrible to be married to the man who was once a rugged Ranger, the mirror image of what she used to be?

And now that she sat down and thought about it, she didn't know why she was scared. She had no reason to be. She would be bound to the only man she ever loved with her whole being.

"Toran?"

"Yes, my flame?"

"Has anyone told you that for a dragon, you are the wisest, smartest, most lovable-"

"I understand that you are affectionate of me-"

"Toran! I love you!"

"Yes, I am affectionate of you too, Quwen..."

"No, say it correctly! You love me back!"

"Fine, I love you, too!"

"I detect a hint of sarcasm in your tone but it is close enough! Take me back to the castle!" She demanded, slightly bouncing upon his back as if she were spurring a horse into a gallop. Toran was no horse.

"But I just got you up here-"

"Toran, I'm ready to marry, Aragorn!" The dragon was silent for a moment.

"I do not want you to get married..." He said, causing Quwen's heart to stop entirely. Toran was the one who didn't want her to get married?

"Why not? You yourself said Aragorn is a great man!"

"I do not wish for you to wed because you will never have enough time for me. Once you are bound you him, I will become a thing of the past. You will care for your young instead of caring for me! You will spend time with your family instead of spending your time with me!" She could feel the beast beneath her begin to quake with emotions and for the first time, she was startled. Toran had never been _angry_ before. "You will simply forget about me up here and-"

"Toran?"

"What?!"

"I will always have time for you..." She reassured the large beast who simply grew quiet at her words, knowing that they were in fact true.

* * *

"Are you ready?"

"I believe so. Let him in..." Ariyana moved to the door in her own gown and pulled it open to reveal her finely dressed brother. She moved aside to let him in to see the woman standing before the full length mirror. His mouth about fell open in awe.

She was dressed from head to toe in beautiful white lace that clung perfectly to her slim figure.

A woman was tucking his sister's hair back into a shimmering, silver clip. The rest of the golden strands were left to tumble down her back. She turned to look at him then and he took notice that her cheeks were rosy with excitement.

The young man couldn't help but beam brightly at her before walking forward and embracing his older sister. "You look lovely..."

"Thank you, little brother..." She whispered back into his ear. Stepping back from her, he couldn't believe that this was the same woman he had met nearly five months ago. She looked breathtaking in her lovely white gown.

"Are you ready?" He asked her quietly. Turning and looking back into the mirror one last time, she sighed before slowly nodding her head. She was ready to spend the rest of her life with Aragorn.

Ariyana came forward with the traditional bouquet of flowers which consisted of a jumble of lavender and white roses. The lion pendant was hung around her neck, the necklace was hand polished by the Lady herself the very morning of the affair. The little sapphires in its eyes glimmered in the sunlight filtering into the room.

She was as ready as she ever would be.

Taking her brother's offered arm, they walked together from the room and out into the long hallway with Ariyana and Tanya in their wake. Little Rowena was also dressed in a velvet dress and she clutched to her mother upon exploring the new world around her.

No one spoke a word and the only noise was the sound of her dress swishing quietly along the ground and a few quiet coos from the four month old baby. When they got out into the hallway that would lead them outside, Quwen had to stop. Handing her bouquet off to her sister, she adjusted her dress one more time.

"Would you stop fussing?! You look absolutely wonderful!" Aryiana told her and the older sister narrowed her eyes at her sibling. She wanted this to be perfect for Aragorn. This is were her reign as Queen would start and she wanted to do it right.

Taking the strong smelling flowers back into her hand, Quwen re-linked arms with Roanen and the attendants pulled the doors open for them.

Her breath immediately left her as she took in the sight of all the people. Just as the courtyard was full at Aragorn's coronation, it was full today. Numerous flowers dotted the scene and garlands were draped over the double doors of the great hall where the alter would be. Again, it was similar in fashion to Aragorn's coronation. But the people. There was so many of them and when she appeared from the hallway, they all grew silent.

This made Quwen extremely nervous. Her heart began to beat rapidly in her chest and she shut her eyes tightly. Maybe she couldn't do this. But, she wanted to be with Aragorn. She could do this.

"My Lady?" Her eyes snapped open as she gazed down at the two hobbits before her. Pippin and Merry were both dressed in their armor and stood before her, waiting for her to begin her procession down the aisle created by the two halves of the people attending. "Are you ready?"

She swallowed and nodded her head.

Moving silently out of the doorway, the two little flower girls stepped out and walked before her, dropping fresh white petals for the bride to walk on. The entire crowd was silent as she walked between the two halves and she clutched tightly to her brother's arm, glad for his company at her side. Since he was the man of the house, he had to be the one who gave his sister away. He was more than honored.

As they walked down through the crowd of people a few of them stood out more than the others. Éomer smiled at seeing her dressed so beautifully on her wedding day. He was standing beside his sister who was standing beside Faramir, another loyal friend of Quwen's. Faramir also stood next to his brother and Boromir smiled upon seeing Quwen so cheerful.

It was common knowledge that Boromir and Ariyana had been certainly getting friendly over the past four months. Ever since the Steward had laid eyes upon her sister, he couldn't seem to pay attention to anyone else. It was really only a matter of time before they were engaged.

On the other side of the aisle, Legolas stood off to the side with the same beautiful elf woman from before at Aragorn's coronation. Her bright hazel eyes locked with the women's own sparkling blue ones for a moment. Glancing down, Quwen noticed that the woman had her arm linked through Legolas's. Also three bangles of different metals hung from her wrist and Quwen could have sworn that she had seen them before. Pulling her eyes back up to the woman's face, a triumphant smirk passed over her lips. Quwen did not like it.

Frodo and Sam came next. They were dressed in velvet waistcoats and smiled as the woman passed by them. The two hobbits were soon joined by their armor clad friends, both Pippin and Merry bursting with joy for their friends.

Aragorn stood nervously on the steps that led into the great hall behind him. He was dressed in his finest armor, his hair combed and his beard trimmed neatly. His crown sat upon his head. His fingers were nervously toying with the ring on his finger. However, it would no longer be his in a few minutes.

He then glanced up and the two flower girls came around the corner of people. He held his breath. He knew that she was only a few steps behind them.

And she was.

His lips subconsciously pulled back when she came into view. She was dressed completely in white, as a bride typically was. Her golden hair was mostly loose down her back but a few strands were pulled back so that everyone could see her lovely face. Just how he liked it.

Her cheeks were flushed from the embarrassment of being the center of attention and he smiled at that thought. She would only have to get used to it.

And as she came around the corner, her hazel eyes found his own blue pair. A breathtaking smile pulled at her lips at the sight of him waiting for her at the alter. It all seemed like it was in slow motion as Quwen and her brother came to a stop beside him.

Looking to the dark haired man, Roanen took Aragorn's and Quwen's hands. Sharing a look with his sister, he linked the bride's and groom's hands together before leaving her beside her soon-to-be husband.

Beaming at Aragorn, Quwen took hold of his hand before turning to face Gandalf. He simply smiled down at the two Rangers. He always knew that they would be together. And it was all thanks to one person.

"In all of Middle Earth and on into the other worlds, a person's soul will reach out to another. Just as with the hearts of the dragons, they are only born with half of a soul and must find the missing piece in another living being. And just as a dragon finds its other half, Quwen and Aragorn found that their souls could only be complete if they were together..." The wizard smiled down at them. "And we have gathered here today to witness their union!" Quwen couldn't help but grip the bouquet tightly in her sweating palms. Gandalf nodded to the King who turned to the woman beside him.

"Do you, Aragorn son of Arathorn, take this Lady of the North to be your wedded wife?" The dark haired man beamed at her.

"I do."

"And do you, Quwen daughter of Roaner, take this King of Gondor to be your husband?"

"I most certainly do." She smiled back.

"Do you, Aragorn, swear to protect, to love, and to care for this woman whom you shall wed, unto the ending of all days?"

"I swear."

"Do you, Quwen, also swear to protect, to love, and to care for this man whom you shall wed, unto the ending of all days?"

"I swear."

"Then I do believe it is time to exchange the keepsakes!" Aragorn and Quwen turned to each other. Aragorn watched as the beautiful woman before him turned and undid the clasp of her necklace. Slowly reaching behind the King's own head, she fastened it in place, a wide smile on her cheeks. Aragorn then slowly began to slip the emerald ring from his finger. Reaching down, he took her hand into his own and placed the warm steel in place. Where it truly belonged.

"And these keepsakes are a symbol of your matrimony and your union together. May the Valar bless you. I am now more than pleased to degree you man and wife!" The crowd was silent once again but Quwen could hear people holding their breaths. "You may kiss the bride..." Without another thought, Aragorn bent his head down and captured her lips with his own. For it was their first kiss as a properly married couple. The crowd cheered with delight and the applause was so loud, Quwen surely thought she would go deaf.

"And naturally..." The crowd instantly quieted again, not understanding what still was to be done. It had been years since a true King and Queen had ruled Gondor. The duo slowly pulled away from each other, their eyes hooded by the wonderment and passion that had passed between them. "A King is nearly lost without his Queen!" The white wizard motioned behind him and carrying a velvet pillow, as he had with Aragorn's crown, Gimli emerged from the shadows, his lips pulled back in the biggest grin she had ever bared witness to.

Aragorn stepped up to stand beside Gandalf, all the while looking down at his beautiful wife. Taking the smaller circlet off the pillow, Gandalf raised the beautiful work of art into the sky. It was a gift from the dwarves. Only they were matched in the craftsmanship and Gandalf had requested that the dwarves in the Blue Mountains were the ones make both the King's and Queen's crowns.

It was of similar fashion to Aragorn's, save for the overall size and proportions. It was simply a small band of pure silver with a few golden vines engraved into the sides.

Quwen knelt before the white wizard her head bowed. Agonizingly slow, Gandalf lowered the silver band down into her rippling golden hair. It rested perfectly on her brow and once he deemed it straight, he removed his hands. The unfamiliar weight of the crown was foreign to the Lady of the North and she wasn't sure if she entirely liked the heaviness of it.

But she would come to like it. For Aragorn.

"Now come the days of the King and Queen!" The crowd clapped again. "And may they most certainly be blessed..." Gandalf whispered down to her, causing a large smile to pull back her lips.

A hand found her own and she looked up into the eyes of her husband. Carefully helping the beautiful woman from the ground, she straightened up and prepared herself for the oath she must take, just as Aragorn had. Turning to face the crowd of people, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

"_Et Eärello..." _She looked over at her husband who simply squeezed her hand, giving her the courage to continue on. It seemed as if the entire world of Middle Earth had gone quiet to listen to her beautiful voice._ "Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!" _

Her voice slowly faded out, the last few notes seeming to cling to the pristine walls of the palace. The Gondorian guard silently moved so that they lined the aisle. Drawing out their swords, the newly wedded couple walked beneath the sparkling silver blades as a sort of honor for their King and Queen. When they stepped from the tent of blades, it seemed as though it was suddenly raining flower petals. Looking up in amazement, a few of the soft petals came to land down in both of their hair. Quwen smiled in delight.

The tree of the King was in full bloom as this time and the new couple stood before the blossoming tree. Aragorn then turned to face his wife, taking her lovely face into his soft hands. He let his head bow down slightly, letting the steel covering their brows touch. Their eyes contrasted beautifully against one another.

"I love you." He whispered, his lips brushing against her's. She smiled as his beard lightly brushed against her own soft cheeks. Her own hand came up to rub along the stubble before she quietly replied back.

"I love you, more."

* * *

**And they're married! Woo hoo! **

**But you know what that means! There's only one chapter left in this story. Now, it may take awhile to right. I do have to keep you guys in suspense after all! ;)**

**And I'm sure you guys are confused about Legolas's lady friend thing. Hopefully, you will come to understand later.**

**I would just like to tell you guys how much I enjoyed writing this story! My reviewers: you're awesome! **

**I really hoped you liked this chapter. I just suddenly had the inspiration and began writing! I seriously got this done in like three days! I think that's a new record! I'm not sure if I really got the whole wedding right... I wasn't sure what to do, considering that I've never been married before!**

**Anyway.**

**Love,**

**Blue**


	22. Chapter 22

"Eldarion!" Someone whispered from behind him, causing the young man to jump in surprise. The dark haired child looked back over his shoulder. He beamed upon seeing his cousin coming up behind him, his boots silent on the cold flooring. However, he held his finger up to his lips, signalling for his companion to be quiet. In return, his cousin nodded. Both of them slowly peered around the corner.

"I think they went this way!" He knew the voice of his little brother.

"Fraeran, I saw them go down this hallway!" A female voice protested. Eldarion turned to his auburn haired cousin and grinned before mouthing, 'Rowena'. In return, he nodded again.

"No, they went this way!" A third voice said, his little sister. He heard feet come pounding down the stones in the hallway and the two boys ducked back into an empty doorway and hid in the shadows. They watched as the three children ran passed and Eldarion's brows pulled together. Where had the rest of _his_ group gotten to?

Stepping out of the doorway, he watched they continued to run down the hall, away from them. A small smile twitched at his lips as he turned back to Boren. "Where are the other two?"

"Elfwine and Gwena are in the garden hiding."

"Alright! Let's go get them!" Eldarion nodded to the auburn haired boy before taking off down the long corridor. Boren followed in his wake, not able to carry to keep up with his older cousin due to the different lengths of their legs.

Being careful so to not get caught by the other trio, he was peering down another hallway and wasn't watching where he was going. Running hard into someone's side, the dark haired boy felt all the air rush from his lungs as he nearly fell to the ground.

"Eldarion?" He looked up at the person who he collided with. He felt his heart stop beating for a moment. He had been caught red handed.

"Father!?" He tried smiling up at the dark haired man. The older man braced his son's shoulders to keep him steady. A grin pulled at the man's lips as his eyes swept over the two panting boys.

"What are you running from?"

"We're playing hide and seek! Rowena is dead set on finding us!" Boren burst in. The man looked back to his son for confirmation. He nodded.

"And we're looking for Elfwine and Gwena. Last we saw, they were in the garden..."

"Have you seen them?" Boren asked once again. The older man shook his head but then a stern look came over his face as he looked down at his son. Eldarion frowned. He knew that the scolding was about to occur. They weren't supposed to be playing games in the palace. Let alone, the garden. In fact, _that_ certain garden was kept for certain purposes and children weren't really allowed.

But that didn't stop them.

"Eldarion..." He looked up upon hearing his voice. His father was gazing down at him with his blue eyes that were the same as his own. The boy swallowed nervously. He was scared his father would stop the game and make him to his studied instead. "Don't let your cousin find you!" He whispered to his son before he winked and the boy smiled widely. Patting his son's hair, the man nudged him along. With a smile, he watched the children go before the older man remembered something. "And most certainly don't let your mother catch you!"

The boy threw a grin over his shoulder before turning a corner and heading in the direction of the garden.

* * *

Upon reaching the wide courtyard, the boys stepped up to the two pillars on either side of the entrance to the garden, being careful to stay hidden in the shadows in case they were spotted by the other search party. Taking a risk, Eldarion peered around the side and just caught sight of the tip of a brown tail that slipped passed them. Ducking back, both of them held their breath as the beast passed before them.

Glancing over at Boren, he nodded and they slunk out into the sunlight, making sure to keep low to the ground. Jumping into a green bush, the two boys grew silent as they listened for the tell tail sign of footsteps. Well, small footsteps. Not the large ones.

Just as they were about to step out of the foliage and search for the remaining members of their group, Eldarion heard a rumbling growl before he felt the heat from the hot smoke billowing up his back. Turning around slowly, his blue eyes widened as they took in the large green pair before him. The beast breathed heavily, his hot smoke blowing over their faces.

The beast drew his lips back, revealing his long teeth before letting out an almighty roar, nearly deafening the children in the process. Their hair now wild and frazzled, they blinked in surprise before a grin pulled back at the dark haired boy's lips.

"TORAN!" The two of them lept onto his large snout. With a rumbling laugh, the dragon lifted the boys free of the bush. They clung to his brown scales, pulling themselves up over his head and onto his back.

"Hello, boys!" He greeted them. All three of them were laughing as the boys hung from his sides, desperately clinging to the brown scales that made up his strong coat of armor. Dropping down onto the stone tiles, the boys grinned. Toran lay down beside the two troublemakers, happy to see them.

Despite the rules of the palace and their mothers, the children played in the dragon garden more often then not. Toran was their friend and their protector.

"Have you seen Elfwine and Gwena?" The large dragon seemed to smile down at them before he turned his head away, as if thinking. Eldarion exchanged a smile with Boren. Toran was toying with them.

"As a matter of fact, I have not!" However, they could tell that their large friend was lying. His taloned paws were crossed but were fidgeting slightly. His wings were also fluttering a bit, a nervous habit Eldarion had noticed he had. Just then, a quiet and feminine sneeze sounded from the bushes right across from them.

"Gwena!" They heard their other friend cry out in despair. Both boys laughed loudly, knowing who the voice belonged to. The little blonde girl stumbled from the bushes, her dress getting caught on the branches. An equally blonde boy stumbled from the same bushes, an annoyed look on his face with more bits of grass in his wild locks.

"Why do I always get stuck with the youngest one?" Elfwine groaned out, rubbing his small hands over his face.

"Because you are one of the youngest ones!" Eldarion grinned as he glanced at Boren. Both of them were a few years older. "And besides, it was your fault that you got separated from us in the first place!"

"But Rowena-"

"SHHH!" Toran warned after he had been watching the children argue about age. They were still babies compared to him.

They instantly quieted and listened as a pair of feet could be heard coming down the corridor that led to the garden. Luck seemed to be on their side as the sun slipped behind the horizon and the sky was beginning to get darker. All four children dove into the same shrubbery as before, a few thorns catching their hair and tugging on Eldarion's dark strands.

Peering out through the dark leaves, he was surprised that instead of his dark haired cousin accompanied by his brother and sister, someone else calmly walked into the courtyard.

"Hello, Toran." She greeted the dragon quietly. He was once again lying down, his paws crossed over one another. From his place, Eldarion could see that the dragon's eyes seemed to be green fire as he watched the woman approach him.

"My flame..." He greeted back just as quietly. He had a certain softness in his eyes but underneath, excitement lay dormant. "It's been some time since you last visited me..." The woman smiled and rubbed the bump on her stomach.

"I've been given orders to relax. Unlike my other pregnancies, I have been told that I am to do no work. And I am completely fine with that!" She beamed and came up to gently stroke his large snout. The dragon closed his eyes in contentment before letting out a small cloud of warm air, her hair gentle billowing in it.

Just then, a twig snapped across the way and Eldarion closed his eyes in frustration. His mother had the sharpest ears of them all. She could even hear better than his father!

He watched as the blonde woman's head snapped in the direction of the broken twig. A hand remained on the bump of her stomach, the other patting Toran's nose in a silent warning. He saw her body tense before she looked back at her dragon friend who was completely calm. She shut her eyes and sighed heavily, knowing why Toran was so relaxed.

"Eldarion? I know you're out here." She said, sure that the boy was hiding in one of the bushes. He sighed before slowly rising from his crouched position, leaves in his dark hair.

"Yes, mother..." He replied less than enthusiastically as he stepped out, freeing himself of the cursed plants. She didn't seem surprised upon seeing him.

"And?" He sighed again.

"Boren, Elfwine, and Gwena..." He shut his eyes in annoyance. He hated being the rat.

"Momma!" Said little girl jumped from the bushes, enveloping the pregnant woman's leg in a bone shattering hug. She simply laughed before patting her head, Toran's eyes sparkling as he gazed down at basically the miniature version of his good friend.

Eldarion watched as the other two boys stepped from their hiding place and joined him.

"Hello, gentlemen..." She greeted them, her hazel eyes sparkling with their own type of mischief. "Eldarion, where are your brother and sister?"

"Last we saw them, we were running from them in the palace halls... They were with Rowena..." The older woman closed her eyes before a small smile pulled at her lips. Of course her niece would be one of the instigators of the game.

"Alright then. I want you to find them and when you do, I want you to get ready for bed. It's getting late!" The dark haired boy looked up at the still bright sky, a small frown on his lips. But he said nothing, for he knew his mother.

"Yes, mother..." He dipped his head before turning to leave.

"Elfwine, Boren?"

"Yes, my Lady?" The both chimed at the same time. They knew that she was their relative but it was only out of respect that they used her proper title. Both of them would, considering who their fathers were.

"I believe your fathers are looking for you..." She turned to look at Elfwine. "Éomer said he wanted to give you a lesson on swords before you readied yourself for sleep. And Boren?" She then looked at the auburn haired child. "You know you have lessons with your uncle..." He sighed but didn't seem to worried. Faramir was a very understanding man.

"Yes, my Lady..." They replied before trudging off in opposite directions, much to Eldarion's amusement. But as he turned to go find his siblings, he glanced back over his shoulder to see his mother standing firmly with her hands on her hips, ready to scold their dragon for keeping her out of the secret.

* * *

"Papa?"

"Hmm?" The older man asked as he tucked in his youngest daughter. She gazed up at him with her bright blue eyes that mimicked his own.

"Can you tell us a story?" He sat back and looked at his other two children who were still wide awake in their beds. Their own eyes were much like his wife's and he smiled.

"Yeah!" His blonde son sat up, his hair already a wild mess. "Tell us a story about a great King!"

"And his Queen!" Chimed his dark haired, twin sister. They were both nine years old.

"Alright Fraeren..." He stood up and went to sit in the old wooden rocking chair that was their favorite in the nursery. The twins hadn't left the nursery yet due to the fact that they didn't want to leave little Gwena alone in the large room. And besides, another baby was on the way and would soon take up residence in that very room.

"Once upon a time... There was a man who lived in the North. He had no home and instead chose to roam the Wilds, hunting down any foul creature he came across..."

"What was his name?" Squeaked Toriel. Her father beamed over at her and she smiled right back.

"The people of the North called him Strider. But Strider was a very special man with a very special heritage. He was destined to be King!" All three children sat up in their bed, excitement causing their eyes to glow brightly.

Eldarion had walked in at the right time, his bedroom just down the hall. He was twelve so he was old enough to sleep by himself. He smiled to himself. He had heard this same story before.

"But one day, a wizard found this straggly old Ranger and asked him to do something for him. He asked him to escort four hobbits from Bree to the land of Rivendell-"

"With the elves!"

"Like Uncle Legolas!" Fraeran finished his sister's sentence and the man chuckled.

"Yes, like Uncle Legolas..." The dark man nodded and smiled, never tiring of his children's enthusiasm. "And so, Strider set out to meet the hobbits in the little town of Bree but someone else was to meet the hobbits as well..."

"Who was it?"

"It was one of the greatest Rangers to ever walk Middle Earth. They called him Breeze. However, the great Breeze had a grand secret..." The three children leaned over towards their father as he whispered. "For he was not a man..."

"So she was a lady?" Gwena asked and the dark haired man nodded.

"One of the most beautiful women to ever grace the lands! But for the longest time, Strider did not know that Breeze was a fair lady, or any lady in fact!" All three children giggled. Eldarion even cracked a small grin. "But she was very brave and when Strider found out her true gender, he couldn't believe it! He was simply stunned into silence and he could not believe what his eyes were showing him! Yet, he did not judge her because she was a woman. No, she was a fierce fighter!"

"What did they do when they got to Rivendell?" Fraeran asked again.

"With Uncle Legolas!" Toriel shouted and the man laughed. His children had always admired his old friend and he shook his head. He wasn't really their Uncle but the children considered him family, as they did with any of their close friends.

"Yes, Legolas was in Rivendell at the time. In fact, it was where Strider and Breeze met him! And guess what?" His voice became quiet and the children leaned in closer towards him. "They also met Uncle Boromir and our dwarven friend, Gimli..."

"GIMLI!" All three children yelled in unison. They absolutely loved the red headed dwarf but he hadn't been by to visit recently. The dark haired man laughed again.

"And they set out with the wizard, Gandalf..."

"GANDALF!" They cheered again. Their father had definitely told him tales about the great wizard who had left Middle Earth for the Undying Lands. He could only laugh again.

"And they set out to destroy the One Ring, ten companions, including Breeze, Strider, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf, and four hobbits..."

"HOBBITS!" The children yelled. Pippin and Merry had visited Gondor on multiple occasions and the children loved to listen to all the stories they had to tell. In return, the hobbits loved them, for they had someone that was shorter than they were.

"And they traveled all across Middle Earth and eventually, after venturing through the dreaded Mines of Moria and Lothlorien, Strider realized that he had fallen in love with Breeze!" The children all giggled as the dark haired man let his hand fall into his hands as if it were the worst thing in the world. "But Uncle Boromir got hurt and Breeze remained behind with him to heal him while Strider pursued the hobbits who had gotten kidnapped by orcs!" The three children gasped at the mention of the foul creatures.

Rare as they may be now, a few orcs still roamed Middle Earth.

"And Strider realized that he loved Breeze, more deeply than he had ever loved anyone before..." The two girls sighed dreamily while Fraeran wrinkled up his nose and stuck his tongue out in disgust. The man noticed this and smiled. He was just like his mother.

"And then Strider reached Rohan with his two companions, where he met-"

"UNCLE ÉOMER!" They cheered again. The man just continued to shake his head. Again, the King of Rohan was not in fact their Uncle but they treated him as such and he treated them like they were his nieces and nephews.

But the man realized his story was taking the children in the wrong direction. This story was supposed to be making his children sleepy, not making them even more excited! Seeing movement out of the corner of his eye, he glanced back at saw his wife now standing in the doorway to the nursery, smiling slightlyl.

"And eventually, Breeze met back up with Strider and he told her how much he missed her. But Breeze had missed him as well but she couldn't tell him..."

"Why couldn't Breeze tell Strider that she missed him?" Toriel asked, completely in love with the idea of being in love. She was only nine. She wasn't supposed to be thinking about love yet. This troubled her father.

"You see, Breeze was always fearless when it came to battle but when it came to love she was a little sc-"

"Dear, I think it's time for the children to go to bed. That is a very long story and it could take all night to tell at the pace you are going..." The blonde woman calmly called to her husband, a bit annoyed with how he was telling the story. That was not how it happened.

"Very well!" He turned back to his children. "Strider swept Breeze off her feet and they fell in love and got married and they became King and Queen. The end!" He finished quickly before standing from the rocking chair and walking over to kiss his children on their foreheads. Tucking them all in, he extinguished the candles in the room before silently moving to the wooden door where his wife and eldest son stood.

Wrapping his arm around his son's shoulders, he led him outside while his wife entered the room to bid his children goodnight.

"Father?" Eldarion asked, a question pulling at the back of his mind.

"Yes, my son?"

"That story is about you and Mother, isn't it?" The dark haired man sighed before looking back at the door.

"How did you know?"

"I could see how your eyes softened when you talked about Breeze. It's the same look you give Mother whenever she's about..." His son reasoned and he hadn't even realized that he indeed looked at his wife differently than he did any other person.

Both of them heard a quiet chorus of, "Goodnight, Momma!" before she emerged from the dark room, blowing a kiss to the children and shutting the door behind her.

"You may not be able to tell but your mother was the most fearless woman I had ever met. You know that she was the one to bring Toran to Gondor?" His son's eyes widened and the man nodded.

"I had always thought Toran had lived in Minas Tirith his whole life!"

"No..." He began to pull his son down the hallway, his wife behind them. "She ventured into the pits in the Mines of Moria and brought back an entire army of dragons during the battle of Pelennor fields all on her own..."

"Why was she on her own? Why weren't you there?" He asked quietly, not understanding that aspect of the story. The dark haired man could only sigh again, a wave of sadness washing over him.

"She was on her own because I left her by herself..."

"Why?"

"Because, when you love something so deeply and passionately, something that is so precious to you that should you lose it, your heart would shatter, you do whatever it takes to protect it. Your mother was that one thing that would destroy my heart should she get hurt..." They both lapsed into silence for a moment, the battle from all those years ago suddenly flooding back.

"Yet, she brought back an entire army of dragons by herself? That isn't dangerous at all?"

"You know how stubborn your mother can be..." The two of them laughed but the boy still couldn't believe it. His mother truly had been one of the most courageous women to ever walk in the lands of Middle Earth. They soon reached his room and they stopped before the doorway. He turned to the older man.

"Father?"

"Yes?"

"Will... Will I ever be as great of a King as you?" The dark haired man held the question in his mind for a moment before he came up with a fine answer.

"I cannot determine how great of a King you will ever be, my son. But do not compare yourself to me. You yourself can only determine how great you want to be and how great you will be. You are the writer to your own story and I fear that I can only help you so much. And when my story is finished and I close the cover to the book, it will be time for your great story to begin..." He pulled his son to him, squeezing his shoulders and kissing the top of his head.

"How long will it take?" The man laughed before looking down at his son.

"Time rewards all those who wait with the grandest prize of all. All it requires is a little patience..." Thinking over his father's words, Eldarion nodded before stepping back. His mother had caught up with them, for she had taken her own sweet time, for she was many months pregnant already with her fifth child. But then, as Eldarion thought about his father's words, he realized something.

He had been talking about how he waited for his mother. Strider had waited for Breeze.

"Goodnight, my sweet Eldarion..." The blonde woman pulled her eldest child to her, wrapping her arms around the thin form of her twelve year old. He was already so grown up and it saddened her. Before she knew it, he would become a man and go out into the world, on his own.

"Goodnight, Mother!" He replied back, kissing her cheek before pulling back and bending down to the bump of her stomach. "Goodnight, little brother!" He quietly bid the unborn child goodnight before scampering off into his room, his father kissing his head and patting him on the back as he went.

The King then turned to his Queen with a confused look upon his face.

"What?" She asked, a playful sparkle in her hazel eyes as she gazed at her husband, her hand rubbing over her swollen stomach.

"He said 'Goodnight, little brother!'" He walked to his wife's side before slowly bending down to her belly, his own fingers running over the velvet fabric covering his child. "How does he know?"

"I'm not sure..." She stroked the dark hair of her husband and he carefully pressed a kiss to her swollen belly, his hands feeling the kicking child inside. "But he is right, you know..." She smiled down at him knowingly. She watched as his blue eyes suddenly sparkled and he returned to his normal height. "And, my good King, that is not how the story goes..." She lightly tugged on the collar of his tunic. He smiled softly before bending forward and pressing a kiss to his wife's lips. "If I remember you fell for me..."

"Yes, I fell for you... Right over the side of a cliff..." He teased and she frowned slightly before pulling back, a challenge sparkling in her eyes.

"If I recall, we both fell."

"But you dropped me..."

"You were too heavy!" Her voice began to rise and he silenced her with another kiss. "What shall we name him?" She then asked, the anger diffusing as she felt the baby kick. The King thought for a moment, his arms coming to encircle his wife. The woman he loved so much. So deeply that should anything happen to her, his soul would be crushed. A grin then pulled at his lips and he gently pressed a kiss to her lips. Pulling back slightly, he let his forehead lean against her own so his eyes could gaze into her hazel irises.

"I think Roaner would suit him just fine."

**THE END**

* * *

**Wow. It's over. I can't believe it's over. **

**What did you guys think? Is the ending alright? Are you confused with the kids? If so here is the line up in age order and their parents: Rowena is 14 (Roanen), Eldarion is 12 (Quwen), Boren is 10 (Aryiana), Fraeran and Toriel are 9 (Quwen), Elfwine is 7 (Eomer), Gwena is 5 (Quwen), Roaner is still unborn (Quwen).**

**You guys have really been great. I have about 30,000 words done with the Hobbit story but I'm going to wait a bit to start publishing. Have I mentioned how great you guys have been? With this story alone, I have reached over 150 reviews. **

**THAT. IS. CRAZY.**

**Anyway, I'm rambling, again. Once again, you all were great and I really am sorry to see this story go. I had the greatest time writing it.**

**Review and tell me what you guys think!**

**Love,**

**Blue**


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